Blackpool pilot Bradley Gosney denies fraud to obtain certificate after details of 'faints and collapses' allegedly uncovered by aviation chiefs

A teenager hoping to be Britain's youngest commercial pilot has pleaded not guilty to a claim he failed to tell the authorities he had suffered fainting and mental health issues.
By The Newsroom
Published 12th Dec 2018, 12:27 BST
Updated 12th Dec 2018, 14:20 BST
Crown CourtCrown Court
Crown Court

Bradley Gosney, 19, is accused of fraud in connection with an allegation he lied about his medical history on a form he filled out to obtained a Class One medical certificate enabling him to fly.

Prosecuting, Michelle Brown said it came to light that there were incidents of fainting, collapsing and mental health issues in his GP notes shortly after he had obtained the certificate.

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She said: "He submitted a form as is the usual process, which has a declaration at the end saying everything stated was true.

Crown CourtCrown Court
Crown Court

"Subsequently it came to light there was a medical history documented in his GP records which had not been detailed on the form, including collapsing and fainting episodes and also in relation to mental health concerns."

But Gosney, representing himself, told Preston Crown Court the medical details were false - that he had lied to his doctor about having the conditions detailed, so the doctor's notes were "wrong".

Dressed in a grey suit and grey shirt, the former Highfield Humanities College student, told the court the details given to the Civil Aviation Authority were therefore true.

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Bradley Gosney
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He said he did not qualify for legal aid and added: "At the moment I can't afford to be represented."

The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Mark Brown, said: " You do understand Mr Gosney that if a person pleads guilty to a charge they do get credit for the fact they've admitted the offence?"

He replied: " Yeah."

The Civil Aviation Authority - a public corporation, established by Parliament in 1972 as an independent specialist aviation regulator - alleges the fraud took place on September 28 this year and the prosecution is being brought under the Air Navigation Order 2016.

Gosney, of Albert Road, Blackpool, had a further charge of being the pilot of a plane registered under the European Aviation Safety Authority without the required licence under aircrew regulations dropped.

He will next appear on May 8 for a trial.

He will have a pre trial review at Burnley Crown Court on March 1 and was given bail in the meantime.