A driving instructor who had a 'quite high failure rate' among her learners because she was not qualified to teach has avoided jail - and a road ban.

Mum of four Tina Cloke took payment for lessons despite repeatedly failing to pass all elements of the three-part approved instructor test and her 'trainee licence' subsequently expired.

One L-driver handing over £2,000, a court heard.

The 47-year-old admitted six fraud charges involving a total of £3,740 when she appeared at Maidstone Crown Court in Kent last month.

But at the same court she was spared prison and given a sentence of 32 weeks imprisonment suspended for 18 months.

Cloke was also shown a green light as far as remaining on the road was concerned when Judge Charles Macdonald QC decided not to disqualify her from driving or deprive her of her car.

However, she must carry out 75 hours of unpaid work and undertake a rehabilitation activity requirement as instructed by the probation service.

At a previous court hearing prosecutor Catherine Donnelly explained Cloke's deceit.

"Miss Cloke made herself out to be a qualified driving instructor entitled to charge money for driving lessons when, in fact, she was not qualified because she failed to meet the required standard," she said.

Cloke first applied to be an approved instructor in October 2011 but failed various sections of the three-part test. She successfully retook some parts.

Miss Donnelly said Cloke went on to fail it three times in January, March and September 2013, which meant she had to start the whole process again.

She resat part one and passed it at the third attempt. She then passed part two in July 2014.

“Thereafter, she did not submit any further application for a trainee licence and it was not issued,” said Miss Donnelly.

“But she was taking young people out giving them driving lessons when she was not authorised to do so. Some gained valid licences, some didn’t. She had quite a high failure rate.

“Parents of the young need to know they are safe. That is paramount. It is a breach of trust. They thought they were employing somebody who was qualified" - prosecutor Catherine Donnelly

“The gravity of this offence was that she was charging money. If you hold yourself out as a driving instructor and charge money, there is a presumption you know what you are doing.

“Parents of the young need to know they are safe. That is paramount. It is a breach of trust. They thought they were employing somebody who was qualified.”

Cloke, of St John’s Road, New Romney, denied participating in a fraudulent business. This was accepted by the prosecution and the charge was ordered to be left on the court file.

She has one previous conviction for battery for which she was given a conditional discharge in February 2015.