A MECHANIC was caught trying to cheat on his driving theory test – after he was spotted taking a mobile phone from down the front of his trousers.

Rieyad Mohamad claimed afterwards he needed the phone – and an accompanying bluetooth device – to help translate the test’s technical language into English.

The 41-year-old told staff at the Erskine House test centre in Clydebank Business Park, both verbally and in writing, he had no electronic devices on him before starting the test.

But, after he was taken to a computer booth and given headphones to begin the test, staff monitoring Mohamad on CCTV became suspicious when they saw him looking around.

They saw him take the phone from his jeans and put something in his ear before the start of the test.

Mohamad, of Keppochhill Road in Glasgow, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court for sentencing last Friday after pleading guilty to possessing “an article for use in, or in connection with, the commission of fraud” – an offence with a maximum punishment of 12 months in prison.

Michelle Brannagan, prosecuting, told the court: “He opted to have questions read to him via a voice recording played through headphones.

“A member of staff watching the accused through CCTV grew suspicious and zoomed the camera in on him, before asking another member of staff to also view the CCTV footage.

“They saw the accused lean forward, place his hand down the front of his jeans, and place something into his hand, before placing something under the headphone into his left ear.

“The staff member approached the accused and removed the headphones, and a small, black device was seen falling to the floor.

“The test was stopped and the accused directed to the reception to await the arrival of the police. Officers arrived and took him to Clydebank police station, where he was searched and a small silver Nokia phone was found concealed in his right sock.”

Mohamad’s solicitor, Elaine Rae, told the court her client was an Iraqi national who had lived in the UK since 2001 and had had UK citizenship since 2015.

She said: “His conversational English is very good but his position is that he can find technical words difficult, and that he was intending to get help translating those in the course of the test.

“He is fully aware he was purporting to sit the test with no help and had signed documents stating he did not have any prohibited equipment.

“At the time he didn’t quite appreciate the seriousness of the matter but he now understands it was wrong.”

Sheriff John Hamilton said: “I’m not going to give you a lecture about your conduct. You know it was wrong.

“Please ensure you don’t repeat this behaviour.”

Mohamad was fined £500.