An observant caseworker in the office of the traffic commissioner in Leeds noticed a post on an internet forum by under the heading "O license for rent". The post, dated 13 March 2023, read: "I currently have an o license with 3 spaces for 3 vehicles, if anybody is interested." It then gave an email address. The email address corresponded with the contact address given for the licence held by Philip Carthy and Steven Edgington. The caseworker noted that a vehicle, MX13 DUU, had been specified on the licence the very next day, 14 March 2023.
The pair were called to public inquiry. Neither appeared and the deputy commissioner proceeded to consider the matter on the available evidence.
Mr Denton said "Both partners are in their 70s and, I hope, are unlikely to wish to re-enter the industry. But to ensure that they do not, and to mark the utter unacceptability of what they have done, I am disqualifying them under Section 28 of the 1995 from holding or obtaining a licence in the future and from being a director of any company holding or obtaining a licence."
The deputy commissioner noted that the vehicle specified on the licence the day after Philip Carthy's "O Licence for Rent" post - MX13 DUU - was still on the licence. He asked DVSA to deploy its ANPR capability with a view to identifying and stopping that vehicle and - if appropriate - impounding it..
