A hapless criminal who regularly failed driving tests for other people – despite charging up to £3,000 a time – was stopped in his tracks by a Morden driving examiner.

Gageen Preet Singh would wear wigs and moustaches to impersonate provisional license holders in a bid to pass hundreds of tests in Merton and at a handful of other centres across the country.

The 35-year-old failed five of the eight tests he was convicted of taking – even sitting some practical exams while disqualified for drink-driving.

An examiner at the centre in Tudor Drive – unconvinced by his disguise – put the hand brake on his scam in April, triggering an investigation that culminated in a 12-month prison sentence at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday.

The examiner alerted investigators at the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) who linked him to more than 100 fraudulent tests. Police also found £56,000 in Singh’s West Drayton flat, thought to have been generated from the scam.

Andy Rice, head of the DSA’s fraud investigation unit said: “The examiner wasn’t happy with the identity of the candidate and did a great job letting us know. He just wasn’t convinced that Singh was who he claimed to be.”

The court ordered the cash and Singh’s car – a Mini – to be forfeited. He will also be deported following his sentence.

Detective Sergeant Dennis Phelan from the South-East Serious Organised Crime Directorate said: “This type of crime has grown in recent years.

"Not only does it put the public at risk with unskilled and dangerous drivers using the road, but it provides false driving licenses which can help create false identities.

“This can enable them to unlock the doors to all types of fraud and other crime.”