March man wrongly disqualified from driving after identity fraud

Marcin Balkiewicz said he lost out on a job that was going to pay him £7,000 more a year as he was disqualified from driving

A man wrongly disqualified from driving after his details were used by a speeding driver said the battle to clear his name left him "depressed".

Marcin Balkiewicz, who lives in March, Cambridgeshire, only discovered the issue when he contacted the DVLA to inform them of a change of address.

He was told he had been disqualified from driving after seven offences were committed in Lincolnshire - a county he said he had never been to.

Police investigated the case as fraud.

Mr Balkiewicz said that after contacting the DVLA about a change of address, he received a letter saying his licence was disqualified due to seven speeding offences in Lincolnshire.

The offences all took place in Lincolnshire, which Mr Balkiewicz said he had never visited

"I've never even been there," the forklift truck driver said.

Mr Balkiewicz found out about the disqualification the day before he was due to start a new job.

"I couldn't start because I needed a driving licence," he said. "I couldn't believe it, it was very frustrating."

Mr Balkiewicz said not only did it mean he could not take up his new job, but it also made things very difficult regarding commuting and childcare as his wife was the only one who could drive.

"It was not a good time for me," he said.

"I had problems sleeping and I started to feel depressed. It took a long time to prove it wasn't me, about three to four months."

Kamila Balkiewicz said it was a tough time for their family

Mr Balkiewicz said he found out he had been banned from driving a year before he was told.

His wife, Kamila Balkiewicz, said: "Missing out on the job affected Marcin a lot.

"That was a good opportunity. It was better pay, better hours and he lost out because he wanted to be honest."

She said the experience was unbelievable.

"When we say this story to people they think there's no way, that can't happen, it can't be real."

Lincolnshire Police said it had sent a form to the courts to request all seven cases were withdrawn.

A spokeswoman for the force said: "The cases have all been re-opened and subsequently overturned with all sentence and fines imposed removed."

A DVLA spokesperson said: "It is important that drivers do not disclose their driving licence number and never share an image of their licence.

"It contains personal information that can be used by fraudsters.

"Anyone concerned they may have been a victim of fraud should contact the police through Action Fraud straight away."