A JUDGE has criticised staff at the DVLA for failing to notice that a driving licence twice sent to them for endorsements for speeding offences was a fake.
Judge Lester Bootham had heard how Christopher Channell had driven for more than 20 years on a provisional licence and worked for Southampton City Council as a courier after falsely declaring he had a full one.
However, Channell’s luck ran out when he was stopped for driving without wearing a seat belt.
The officer carried out a computer check and learnt he had only had a provisional licence.
The officer contacted the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) which confirmed he had only got a provisional licence that had been issued in 1985.
He then arranged for a summons to be taken out against Channell, but the CPS later received a letter from his solicitors enclosing a copy of a full licence.
However, when it was sent to the DVLA for confirmation, the agency reported it was fake.
Judge Bootham said: “I hope the DVLA are looking into this. It’s a bizarre situation.”
With the forgery, Channell had worked for the city council, earning more than £60,000 before resigning.
