Age tampering highlights the failings of paper passports

A buyer found his horse's date of birth had been altered using a pen, showing the system's fragility

- By BECKY MURRAY

A BUYER has questioned whether equine passports “are worth the paper they are written on” after discovering one had been tampered with - backing up calls for the need for digital equine identification.

The man bought a mare and on inspecting the passport more closely days later, he saw the horse's year of birth had been altered with a pen to make her appear younger.

A supplementary identification document with the passport showed a different age, and the man was able to confirm the correct age with a former owner and the passport issuing organisation (PIO).

FAILINGS

THE man said he is happy with the mare and does not wish to return her, but having reported the issue to Defra, Trading Standards and the PIO, he feels there is nothing to hold people to account.

“Passports are supposed to be legal documents. It’s not worth the paper it’s written on if it’s been amended. It’s like driving a car with an MOT that you've changed the date on yourself,” he told H&H.