O-licence scammer sentenced to six and a half years

Stephen O'Sullivan, the man behind an O-licensing scam in which O-licences and O-licence discs were rented out, has been sentenced to six and a half years' imprisonment in his absence.

O'Sullivan, of Drayton Parslow, Buckinghamshire, failed to appear before the jury at Luton Crown Court which convicted him and hauliers Anthony Purnell and William Robertson of: conspiring together and with others to defraud the Traffic Commissioners and their staff; conspiring to defraud people who had paid money for having their vehicles unlawfully specified on O-licences belonging to another licence-holder; and conspiring to allow O-licences to be used by persons not holding O-licences, after an eight-week trial.

O'Sullivan was also convicted on three counts of money-laundering.

Purnell, of Ilkeston, Derbyshire, was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment. Robertson, of Aboyne, Aberdeenshire, was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.

The court heard that during a five-year period, O'Sullivan's estimated criminal proceeds were in the region of £2m. Traffic Area staff were misled into issuing O-licence discs for vehicles that were not being operated by the licence-holder, defeating the whole purpose of the O-licensing system.

In sentencing O'Sullivan, Judge Bright said he would receive a consecutive prison sentence for breaching his bail once apprehended. Bright adds that O'Sullivan had operated a dishonest scheme that "drove a coach and horses" through the O-licensing system, with many victims losing substantial amounts of money. He concealed the money he earned through the scheme and so paid no tax.

Bright said the scheme gave rogue operators the carte blanche they desired and could easily have resulted in "death and mayhem" on the roads.

Turning to Purnell and Robertson, Bright said he was satisfied that their roles were significant and that they both knew that what they were doing was wrong. In Purnell's case, he was satisfied that he was never a legitimate haulier and that he had applied for an O-licence so he could rent it out to O'Sullivan.

Finally, Bright said the message had to go out "loud and clear" to hauliers that people who tried to circumvent the O-licensing system must expect to go to prison immediately.

The question of costs was adjourned until confiscation proceedings in September.