A Romanian man who was involved in a conspiracy to fraudulently gain access to provisional driving licences has been jailed for 12 months.
Daniel Trifan (51), of Beechfield Meadows, Clonee, Dublin 15, appeared before the Circuit Criminal Court this afternoon where Detective Garda Barry Cormack gave evidence of how the accused was part of a group of five Romanians and one Polish national who were were involved in sitting driving theory tests on behalf of people who “weren’t confident in own ability” to pass.
As of today, five of the six have been prosecuted, however the “ringleader” is believed to have fled the jurisdiction.
The court heard that when a customer of the scammers made an appointment, one of the gang would book a theory test using a Swirl debit card before producing a false Romanian ID card in the name of the person paying to have the test done for them.
124 such tests were done between Sept 2018 and June 2021, the Road Safety Authority believes.
Judge Orla Crowe heard that each customer would pay between €1,000 and €2,500 to have the test done, and that the individuals sitting the tests would receive between €100 and €200 for the task.
Trifan initially fled the jurisdiction but was returned last year on a European arrest warrant from Cyprus, prosecuting counsel Kieran Kelly told the court.
Another member of the gang, Daniel Stepien, 29, of Annfield Court, Clonsilla, Dublin 15, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for the same offences and had sat 68 such tests.
Stepien has 30 previous convictions, Detective Garda Cormack said.
Alina Glont, 42, of Charlestown Place, Finglas, Dublin 11, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison after she pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy.
Glont was in control of the Swirl debit cards used in the offending, and has five previous convictions.
Ronaldo Lupo (24) of Rusheeney Avenue, Clonsilla sat 10 tests and had four months added onto a sentence he was already serving of 2 years and 9 months, he has 50 previous convictions.
Andre Contagariu, 26, with an address at Castlecurragh Park, Dublin 15, who sat 5 tests was sentenced to one year in prison, and has one previous conviction.
Judge Crowe heard Mr. Trifan, who came to Ireland in 1999 – has three previous convictions and had claimed to be out of work and “spiraling” at the time of the offences. He also claimed to have been at number four on a scale of five in terms of suicidal ideation at the time.
Trifan, who was a driving instructor previously, is believed to have made in the region of 2,000 to 2,500 for his part in taking 21 tests between June and November of 2019.
Judge Crowe said that the offending was “an inherently serious matter” and that it affected the “safety of every single road user.”
Trifan was sentenced to 12 months in jail backdated to September to reflect time already spent in custody.