Driving teacher failed test but kept giving lessons

A driving instructor who continued to take money from pupils despite failing her exam three times and losing her licence has been spared an immediate prison sentence.

Mother-of-two Laura Pritchett failed the DVLA's final exam repeatedly and her provisional licence to instruct was rescinded. But she kept going as a qualified instructor, illegally supplying paid-for lessons.

The fraud was discovered after she re-applied to re-take her driving instructor's examination, but when questioned she claimed she had been giving lessons for free and asking only for "petrol money".

Pritchett, aged 28, of Johnson Road, Cannock, admitted six charges of fraud was given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

Stafford Crown Court heard on Thursday that Pritchett had a previous conviction, for stealing laptop computers from her previous employers.

But Judge Patrick Thomas QC told her: "You show every indication of being an extremely dishonest woman. You stole from your employers and after that, having failed to pass the necessary exams to become a driving instructor, you decided you would simply carry on, taking money off people – significant sums at that – by holding yourself out as someone entitled to teach. I have no reason to suppose you were particularly bad, I don't comment on that, but I do comment on your dishonesty only the fact you have two young children, who would suffer a lot, saves you from prison."

Three of the fraud charges related to pupils she retained after her provisional instructors' permit was revoked. The other three related to new pupils found through an advert.

The total amount she illicitly took was £2,417.

Mr Neil Gerrity, defending, said Pritchett had paid £3,500 in 2008 for the course to become a driving instructor. In May 2010 she failed the instructional ability exam for the third time.