Driving instructor Sorin Mihai given suspended sentence for bribery, corruption charges after passing learner drivers for cash

You sent him a text asking for a “special deal”. You gave him hundreds in cash – and got a guaranteed driver’s licence. Then the police found out.

A driving instructor who offered “dodgy” tests and guaranteed passes put the public at risk by allowing potentially unsafe drivers on the roads, a judge says.

Sorin Mihai, 60, pleaded guilty to four counts of abuse of public office and one count of bribery only days before he was supposed to stand trial.

On Tuesday, District Court Judge Ian Press said Mihai had shown “premeditation” in the way he had established a reputation for offering guaranteed passes on the one-off VORT learner driver accreditation test.

Between July 13 and July 22, 2017, Mihai received a text message from a student asking for a “dodgy” VORT test and offering money.

Judge Press said Mihai had received $350, nearly double the average cost of the test, and had helped the student pass by giving advice on complicated driving exercises.

On March 1, 2021, following the police investigation, the same student resat the VORT test and failed. She remains a learner driver.

In October 2017 and March and July 2018, Mihai took between $350 and $400 from students and either assisted them during the test or just drove around for a short time before passing the student.

Mihai’s crimes became the subject of their own police investigation, dubbed Operation Fair, which examined dozens of unsolicited text messages he received asking for “special” tests or “100 per cent passes”.

Police interviewed numerous former learner drivers who had been passed by Mihai.

Former driving instructor Sorin Mihai leaves the District Court after being given a suspended sentence for corruption charges. Picture: Mitch Mott

Judge Press said he accepted that Mihai was financially motivated to accept larger fees for guaranteed passes.

“Your offending ignored breaches of the road rules, assisting learner drivers throughout the test to help them achieve the necessary tasks and, in some cases, failing to undertake any tests at all,” he said.

“Your offending was premeditated and your actions significantly undermined the integrity of the licensing procedures and compromised public safety.”

However, he said he did not believe Mihai had increased his business as a result of a reputation for falsifying tests.

Mihai had no other criminal record and is a prominent member of the Romanian church in Adelaide.

Judge Press said he had no doubt Mihai had a “sense of shame and embarrassment” as a result of the offending, which tarnished an otherwise unblemished career.

Mihai wept in the dock as Judge Press read the details of his crimes and his reasoning for concluding that a prison sentence was required.

Mihai was sentenced to one year, 10 months and 25 days in prison, with a non-parole period of one year and one month.

Judge Press suspended the sentence, citing Mihai’s age, health and lack of criminal history as reasons for leniency.