The director of a company that provided fraudulent medical certificates to drivers applying for bus and lorry licenses has been sentenced to four years in prison. Andrew Eburne, 51, from Hinckley, Leicestershire, ran Doctors on Wheels Ltd, which used unqualified staff to conduct medical examinations and submitted forms with pre-stamped doctor signatures.
Medical exams were performed in the backs of vans at locations including laybys, motorway service stations, and car parks across England and Wales, with some lasting only minutes. Swansea Crown Court heard that the business prioritized financial gain over public safety.
Fraudulent Practices Exposed
Prosecutor Lee Reynolds stated that the company's activities were a dishonest departure from a previously lawful business, with the fraud valued at approximately £681,699. The case centered on D4 forms, which are required by the DVLA for lorry or bus license applications and include eyesight, blood pressure, and medical history information.
The DVLA became suspicious after noticing irregularities in forms from Doctors on Wheels and conducted a test purchase operation. Swansea Council's trading standards department launched an investigation in March 2019, using mystery shoppers. Evidence showed that applicants were often not asked for identification, and the examiner—not a registered doctor—would fill in forms without thorough questioning. Completed forms were then stamped with a doctor's signature and GMC number without the doctor's involvement.
Public Safety Concerns
The court heard that one applicant was reported as having 20/20 vision despite having a prosthetic eye, while another was listed as having no hearing issues but was profoundly deaf. Judge Huw Rees noted that the company's actions compromised public safety to an unquantifiable degree.
Defense lawyer Laura Phillips said the business operated legitimately from 2007 to 2017 before becoming dishonest, and the prosecution had a catastrophic effect on Eburne and his family. The judge imposed a four-year sentence, with Eburne to serve half in custody and the remainder on license. A proceeds of crime investigation has been initiated.
Councillor Andrew Williams of Swansea Council praised the investigative teams, stating that the sentence should deter others from engaging in fraud that endangers road users. He emphasized that there is no hiding place for such activities.
