A transport manager has been disqualified for eight years and lost her good repute after being found to have been involved in the submission of falsified CPC documents.
The ruling follows a public inquiry led by the Traffic Commissioner for the East of England, Richard Turfitt, into the conduct of transport manager Louise Froggatt, which concluded that she had acted dishonestly.
The investigation centred around Froggatt’s involvement in the submission of a falsified CPC on behalf of another individual, Joanne Louise Hewison.
The inquiry heard that Froggatt, who acted as an internal transport manager for Wynwood Logistics at the time, was said to have worked in logistics for several previous companies including Kuehne+Nagel, together with Hewison. In 2021 Froggatt and Hewison were looking at setting up their own business.
In February 2023, a Joanne Louise Hewison submitted a transport manager’s CPC in support of her nomination to act as an external transport manager on OB2017589, held by Vision Logistical Solutions.
However, the certificate, purportedly issued by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT UK), was found to be fraudulent. following a detailed investigation by the DVSA.
Evidence presented revealed that Froggatt had facilitated the appeal of failed CPC exam papers through an unverified third party, allegedly connected to her former partner, Paul Marshall, who was serving a sentence at HMP North Sea Camp.
The inquiry heard that Froggatt paid £195 in cash for the appeal, which resulted in the production of a counterfeit certificate. Despite her claims of good faith, the Traffic Commissioner found her actions to be deliberate and misleading.
Commissioner Richard Turfitt said: “Traffic Commissioners have to rely on the veracity of documentation provided to them. It is a testament to the professionalism of the caseworkers reviewing the document produced by Ms Hewison that this misleading documentation was identified.
“It is yet further illustration of the need for adequate gatekeeping, which allowed DVSA and CILT to then work together to identify the extent of the attempted fraud.”
The inquiry also noted that Froggatt had published false employment information on her LinkedIn profile, claiming to have worked as a DVSA auditor, which was an assertion she later admitted was intended to mislead.
Citing the importance of trust and integrity in the transport industry, the Commissioner concluded that Froggatt had lost her good repute and imposed an eight-year disqualification.
He added that the decision underscores the seriousness with which attempts to deceive regulatory authorities are treated and reaffirms the commitment to maintaining high standards across the sector.
