Fake warrant issue ‘industry wide’, says offender
A Christchurch mechanic who has admitted issuing fake warrants of fitness claims it is an “industry-wide” issue.
Twenty-eight-year-old Jeremy Burrell told police he “felt pressured to act in this way” after admitting issuing 15 fake warrants.
He pleaded guilty in the Christchurch District Court to a charge of dishonestly using a document to get a financial gain.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Glenn Pascoe said Burrell was employed at a city motor firm, doing motor vehicle inspections.
From April 9 to June 4 he issued several warrants separately from the firm, saying all the vehicles were roadworthy.
Sergeant Pascoe said Burrell would issue a certificate for the vehicles and would update the warrant of fitness details on the NZTA website, using his own authorisation code. He entered the vehicles on the website as passing their tests.
Burrell said he had received payment for 10 of these vehicle “inspections” and did another five for no payment.
He told police it was “an industry-wide problem”, said Sergeant Pascoe.
Judge Brian Callaghan remanded Burrell on bail to April 22 for a probation report and sentence, “Given the significance of this offending.”
He said there was a “community issue” and an issue of deterrence.
Category: News
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