Stevenage English language taxi licence fraudsters convicted
Alison Derrouiche convicted of facilitating fraud on taxi licence applications in Stevemage. Facebook photo
Nine people, including the lynchpin Alison Derrouiche, have been convicted at Peterborough Crown Court for a range of conspiracy and fraud offences following an investigation by the Hertfordshire County Council’s Shared Anti-Fraud Service and Stevenage Borough Council’s licensing office.
The nine appeared at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday 15 December 2016 in respect of charges relating to the obtaining of private hire licences from Stevenage Borough Council by fraudulent means. This follows a complex investigation over twelve months.
The court heard how a former employee of the council, Alison Derrouiche, had dishonestly allowed third parties to sit and pass English language tests on behalf of individuals applying for taxi licences.
The fraud was identified through internal verifications undertaken by staff within the council’s licensing team, and referred to the Shared Anti-Fraud Service for further investigation.
Having pleaded guilty to all the charges against them at an earlier hearing in November, the judge, Recorder Francis Oldham QC sentenced the defendants as follows:
Alison Derrouiche, 47, of Kymswell Road, Stevenage, received 12 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, together with a 12 month supervision order. Recorder Oldham said that her actions were an ‘acute breach of trust’.
Tamoor Azam, 32, of Macauley Road, Manchester, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
Traian Badea, 44, of Devon Road, Watford, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
Marius Bercea, 40, of Vardon Road, Stevenage, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
Silviu Desideriu, 37, of Buckthorn Avenue, Stevenage, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
Christian Didelescu, 39, of The Glebe, Stevenage, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
Marian Petre, 33, of Canterbury Way, Stevenage, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
Cornel Stemate, 49, of Bedwell Crescent, Stevenage, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
Valentin Stemate, 48, of Bedwell Crescent, Stevenage, received 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, an 80 hour unpaid work order and was required to pay £200 in costs.
The court was told how all the defendants fully co-operated with the investigation and admitted the offences when interviewed under caution by the Shared Anti-Fraud Service. All the defendants entered early guilty pleas at court when presented with compelling evidence obtained during the investigation.
Chris Hayward, Cabinet Member for Resources, said: “Regulations relating to the licencing of private hire taxis are put in place to protect the public. These people set out to cheat the system with the assistance of a dishonest former member of staff and I’m pleased that they have now paid the price in court.
“Once again this shows the importance of the Shared Anti-Fraud Service and I would like to thank them for their hard work in bringing these fraudsters to justice.”
The Shared Anti-Fraud Service, established in April 2015, works in partnership with Stevenage Borough Council to investigate and prosecute allegations of fraud against the many services delivered by the council.
Since June 2016 the Shared Anti-Fraud Service has convicted seven individuals in Stevenage for a range of offences including housing, council tax support and single person fraud. The team has identified fraud loss and savings of over £900k across all of its partners since April 2016.
You can report suspected fraud against Stevenage Borough Council in the strictest confidence. For more information, and to report your concerns, visit: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/spotfraud, email fraud.team@hertscc.gcsx.gov.uk or call 0300 123 4033.
source: http://londonbulletin.co.uk/stevenage-e ... 19-242.htm