A man and a woman have received prison sentences for their roles in a “serious criminal enterprise” in which they posed as learner drivers and sat the driver theory test on behalf of others.
Alina Glont (42), of Charlestown Place, Finglas, Dublin 11, and Daniel Stepien (29), of Annfield Court, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, both pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two counts of conspiracy.
The offences took place on dates between September 2018 and June 2021.
The court previously heard that gardaí have identified 124 incidents where someone from a group of five individuals, including the two defendants, went to a test centre and took the theory test on behalf of third parties. Stepien sat 68 theory tests with Glont completing 20.
While separate investigations are ongoing, some third parties have reported paying amounts of between €1,000 and €2,000 to the group, the court was told.
After hearing the facts of the case on Wednesday, Judge Martin Nolan adjourned overnight to consider sentencing.
On Thursday he said the defendants were “part of a conspiracy” to do the driving theory test for “third parties who did not do it”.
He said the court “must infer those parties had no great understanding of English language and wished to get someone else to do test”.
The judge said this was a “serious criminal enterprise, and serious profits were made,” which he estimated to be about €100,000.
“All services given by the State have to be open to people to take advantage of and therefore are open to fraud.”
He noted the defendants' guilty pleas, personal circumstances, and previous convictions, which he described as relevant. He said their behaviour was “quite serious”.
He said Stepien, who had 30 previous convictions, including for deception, theft and road-traffic offences, was “extensively involved” but had a lesser role than other parties.
He imposed a 32-month prison sentence, backdated to December 19th, when Stepien entered his guilty plea.
He said the court “accepted to some extent” that Glont was acting under the control of her ex-partner and that “there was some credence” to the “quasi-duress” submission made on her behalf.
But, he said Glont, who has five previous convictions, including handling stolen property and using a false instrument, was an “accomplished” and “mature woman” when she involved herself in this “serious escapade”. He imposed a 2½-year sentence.
Detective Garda Barry Cormack told Kieran Kelly, prosecuting, the two accused were part of a group of five individuals involved in a scheme to take driver theory tests on behalf of third parties.
When the theory test was completed successfully, a pass certificate would be issued, which could be used by a third party to apply for a driving test.
After receiving confidential information, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) started its own investigation in January 2021. The following June, the RSA reported 36 potential impersonations to gardaí.
Det Garda McCormack said gardaí have suspicions about the other members of the group, but they are not before the courts.
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