An asylum seeker from Iran, who had taken and failed the driving theory exam seven times, got someone else to sit his eighth test, Maidstone Crown Court was told.

But a sharp-eyed supervisor at the exam centre realised the man who signed in as Yasir Karim did not look like the person on Karim’s provisional licence and he was refused the test and sent away.

Karim, 23, who was living in Gravesend at the time, admitted conspiracy to commit fraud between October 24 and 29 this year. He was jailed for four months.

Trevor Wright, prosecuting, said Karim, who needed an interpreter in court, had taken the theory exam at several centres, including Chatham and Runcorn, and had failed each one.

On October 24 an online booking was made for a theory test at a Hastings centre and it was paid for by card.

"It is criminally irresponsible. If it had worked you would have put other road users at risk..." - Recorder David Jeremy QC

On October 29 a man turned up to sit the test and said he was Karim. Staff were not convinced because he did not look like the photo on Karim’s licence and he was refused, Mr Wright said.

Fraud investigators went to Karim’s home in Edwin Street, Gravesend but he was not there.

The next day Karim went to Maidstone police station. He was later arrested and the card used to book the test was found on him.

He denied any knowledge of the test and said he did not know who had tried to take the exam.

Mr Wright said Karim, who fled to the UK six years ago from Iran when his father was murdered, had previous convictions for failing to provide a specimen and obstructing a police officer in January 2012.

The court was told Karim had just married, was on the council house waiting list and had tried to live a good and productive life.

But Recorder David Jeremy QC told Karim: “You used an impostor to try to take the theory test on your behalf, having booked that test a few days earlier.

“You are 23, an asylum-seeker and have been here for six years and have failed seven tests which shows you are someone who is unfit to hold a driving licence.

"You have a conviction for failing to provide a specimen of breath which shows an irresponsible attitude to driving. It is criminally irresponsible.

"If it had worked you would have put other road users at risk.”