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'A strange story'
Page 33
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• A car accident, a year's suspension from driving, the disappearance of a 40ft. artic and a writ that cannot be served were all matters raised in evidence by Mr Ralph Cropper at a public inquiry on Tuesday. Mr Cropper represented Mr S. I. E. Long, who was applying for a transitional 0 licence and change of base specified on an existing A licence. The case was heard at the Metropolitan traffic court by Mr D. I. R. Muir, the LA together with his deputy, Mr W. M. Levitt, and the decision was reserved.
Mr Cropper explained that Mr Long was, in the early 1960s, an owner-driver with an AEC rigid eight-wheeler. In 1966, while driving his car, he was involved in an accident which resulted in a prolonged course of psychiatric treatment, still necessary to this day. A claim for damages should soon be settled and Mr Long said he expected it to be in the region of £4000-£6000.
Not long after the accident, said Mr Cropper, Mr Long had his driving licence suspended for one year.
Mr Long told the court that a friend at that time—a Mr McAughey—had agreed to drive the lorry and pass back the profits to him. This worked well for a time, and a new 4011. artic was acquired. However, in December 1967, Mr McAughey, together With the artic, disappeared, said Mr Long, and he had not since been able to trace either.. He had tried to serve a writ on Mr McAughey but thought him to be in Scotland, outside the jurisdiction of the English court. If he could find the vehicle, said Mr Long, "I would jump in it and drive it away".
Mr Cropper said that should Mr Long's application be granted, he would acquire another new artic. A friend was willing to advance £1000 and Mr Long had sold some furniture to acquire some "cash-in-hand".
"You do not seem all that anxious to get your vehicle hack," said the LA. Mr Long disagreed.
The LA produced some evidence new to both Mr Cropper and Mr Long. Correspondence with the Yorkshire police had revealed that the missing vehicle was in use by CDM Transport .Ltd, of which Mr McAughey was a director. The police letter said that the vehicle had been stopped on a journey from Plaistow and did not show a carrier's licence. The LA said he suspected that Mr McAughey was bankrupt.
"A bit of a strange story, I do agree," said Mr Cropper, but he claimed that Mr McAughey's whereabouts were unknown to Mr Long.