A busy garage auto technician issued more than 800 car MOTs. The only problem was he didn't test the cars.
David Carden, who still works at Auto Scuderia Ltd in Ashton Gate, claimed a mystery man pressured him to issue fake certificates. He said when he tried to say no he was given a 'kicking', and continued as he feared further harm to him or his family.
Carden, 53, of Kenmare Road in Bristol, pleaded guilty to 12 charges of fraud between August 2021 and January 22. He asked for 809 further offences to be considered.
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Judge Edward Burgess KC handed him eight months' prison, suspended for 12 months. He told Carden: "The MOT system exists to ensure road safety at a fundamental level.
"If it is abused systematically the risk to the general public is very, very real. It is difficult to quantify the scale of that risk here."
Carden was handed 150 hours' unpaid work, ten days' rehabilitation and £2,250 prosecution costs. He declined to comment as he left Bristol Crown Court.
Felicity Hine, prosecuting, said a vehicle examiner for the Driver & Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) made a routine inspection of the garage and discovered MOTs had been issued to cars not seen entering or leaving the premises. Initially Carden admitted issuing an MOT for a Honda Civic, without examining it, saying "I f***** up".
Mrs Hine said an investigation confirmed that, from August 2021, Carden issued some 800 MOT certificates which had not been accounted for by the garage. The DVSA cancelled fraudulent MOTs and arranged for Carden's authority to test vehicles be removed for a maximum five years.
Robert Morgan-Jones, defending, said it was his client's case that in August 2021 he was approached by a man who had previously loaned him money. Mr Morgan-Jones said the man provided a list of vehicles for which he wanted MOT certificates.
The court heard the man showed Carden photos of his family's homes and, in fear, Carden did what he was told. Mr Morgan-Jones said: "At one stage he said to the male he would not carry on.
"The male returned with another man and he was given a 'kicking'. He carried on, he felt he had no choice. Clearly someone has made a significant amount of money out of all of this. There is no evidence he made a penny. He says he lost as a result. He says sometimes he put cars through at £30 and he paid that himself."
Mr Morgan-Jones said his client was a dad-of-two and was mild-mannered and introverted and had kept his job. He told the court: "If the gang was looking for a vulnerable man they couldn't have picked a much better choice."
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