This afternoon, two participants in a plan to pretend to be trainee drivers and take the theory exam on behalf of others are scheduled to get their sentences, reports Breaking News.
At the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, 42-year-old Alina Glont of Charlestown Place, Finglas, Dublin 11 entered a guilty plea to two conspiracy charges.
Additionally, 29-year-old Daniel Stepien, who lives at Annfield Court, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, entered guilty pleas to two charges of conspiracy, reports Breaking News.
Dates of the crimes were September 2018 through June 2021.
Judge Martin Nolan postponed the case until Thursday in order to consider sentence after hearing the case’s facts on Wednesday.
Detective Garda Prosecuting attorney Barry Cormack informed Kieran Kelly BL that the two defendants were among five people who conspired to take driving theory exams for other people, reports Breaking News.
He told the court that information was gathered that third persons contacted the group, then plans were made for one of the group to pose as a trainee driver at a theory test facility to sit the test, using a computerised system.
A pass certificate would be issued upon successful completion of the theoretical exam, allowing the third person to apply for a driving test, reports Breaking News.
According to Det Gda Cormack, 124 instances in which a member of the gang visited a testing facility were found.
Following the receipt of secret material, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) began its own inquiry in January 2021. The following June, the RSA reported 36 possible impersonations to the gardaÃ.
Although independent investigations are still underway, according to Det Gda Cormack, some third parties have reported paying the group between €1,000 and €2,000, reports Breaking News.
Seven prepaid debit cards with fictitious names and addresses were discovered when gardaà investigated Glont’s house. More than 100 theoretical tests were scheduled using these cards.
Glont’s phone was confiscated, along with driver theory test books and amounts of cash in euros and pounds, reports Breaking News.
The court heard that at Glont’s initial gardai questioning in 2021, no information of probative value was gathered.
She acknowledged her participation and cooperated with the inquiry when she was interrogated again in 2023.
She informed the gardaà that she had scheduled the exams and would instruct Stepien to go to certain ones, reports Breaking News.
Although Stepien was interrogated as well, no useful evidence was gathered. He is seen by the gardaà as being at the bottom of the hierarchy, and the court heard evidence indicating he was instructed by others.
Although they are not in court, Det Gda McCormack stated that gardai had concerns regarding the other gang members, reports Breaking News.
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