September 2019

The winners of Top Technician and Top Garage 2019 were announced at the start of the summer. For Top Technician, Neil Currie from Robertson Gemini in Dumfries & Galloway was named as 2019’s champion. Declan Robinson, who works at Phillips Volkswagen in Lisburn, Northern Ireland came second. Neil won a major cash prize from Aftermarket magazine, and a mix of tools and training from the sponsors, Snap-on, TRICO and Euro Car Parts. As runner up, Declan also won a cash prize from Aftermarket, as well as prizes from the sponsors. For Top Garage, the following businesses were the winners for 2019: Business with up to five staff ; presented by Euro Car Parts – Declan McCormack Vehicle Repairs, Chippenham, Wiltshire. Business with 6-10 staff presented by TRICO – Cheltenham and Gloucester Autocentre, Staverton, Gloucestershire. B usinesses with 11-plus staff ; presented by Snap-on– Cedar Garage, (2018 overall champions) Worthing, West Sussex. Managers and owners from these businesses faced the panel of judges at the final, which took place at the RMI Academy of Skills in Southam on Saturday 22 June. The announcements were made at the Top Technician and Top Garage Awards Dinner, held at the Jurys Inn Milton Keynes on Saturday 22 June. The evening was hosted by TV presenter and journalist Helen Fospero. She introduced the sponsors, who then presented the winner and runner up of Top Technician and winners of the various awards within Top Garage with their prizes. Top Technician 2019 and Top Garage 2019 are sponsored by Snap-on, TRICO and Euro Car Parts. They come to you in association with ABC Awards, Auto iQ, the Garage Equipment Association (GEA), the Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF), and the Independent Garage Association (IGA). Top Technician and Top Garage Awards Dinner 2019 Pre-Dinner Drinks Reception Sponsor: TechMan. Turn to page 28 for to see our bumper coverage of the Top Technician and Top Garage finals and the Awards Dinner, and to find out more about the winners. NEWS 6 AFTERMARKET SEPTEMBER 2019 www.aftermarketonline.net Top Technician and Top Garage 2019 winners revealed... MOT tester prosecuted for layby “tests” A Bristol MOT tester has been prosecuted after he carried out illegitimate MOTs in a Somerset layby. Paul Court-Chandler, 47 from Patchway in Bristol was found guilty of fraud at Bristol Magistrates Court. He admitted logging into the account of his former employer, Stockwood Garage, and falsely issuing 25 MOT certificates. He admitted that none of the vehicles had ever been to the garage printed on the certificate and therefore had not had the brakes, emissions or underside checked Andy Rice, DVSA Head of Counter Fraud and Investigations said: “DVSA’s priority is to protect everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles. MOT fraud is a serious issue, it puts potentially dangerous vehicles on the road. This is why we’re now using artificial intelligence and expert analysis to interrogate MOT records and pick out potentially fraudulent or incompetent tests. When we find such activity, we’ll consider banning and prosecuting offenders, and will push for the strongest punishments.” For the first and second offences a total of 52 weeks in prison was handed down, suspended for 24 months. For remaining offences there was a custodial sentence of 26 weeks suspended for 24 months to run concurrently. He was also made the subject of a 12- month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work. The judge ordered him to pay a contribution towards prosecution costs of £1200 together with a victim surcharge of £140. In addition, he was banned from being a MOT tester by DVSA. The deception came to light after DVSA received intelligence about the issue and launched an investigation. Paul Court-Chandler told DVSA that he only charged the going rate for a MOT and stopped when he had repaid a debt.