Prison warning to tub chart cheats
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by Mike Jewell • A judge has warned hauliers that immediate prison sentences are an appropriate punishment for being involved in falsifying tachograph charts.
Judge Simon Grenfell's warning came after Roger Moran, the transport manager of Settle-based Floyd Schofield Haulage, narrowly escaped being sent to prison after admitting 15 tachograph offences.
He was sentenced to six months' imprisonment suspended for 12 months at Bradford Crown Court. Judge Grenfell said he would have imposed a tougher penalty had the case not taken four-and-ahalf years to get to court.
Moran, of Towhead Lane, Austwick, was also ordered to pay 41,000 costs after pleading guilty to four counts of falsifying charts and to 11 counts of aiding, abetting, counselling and procuring drivers to falsify charts.
Drivers Richard Drake of Thornview Road, HeIli field; Graham Hayward of Ashfield Terrace, Skipton and John Hodges of Bunnoor Crescent, Ingleton each pleaded guilty to three counts of falsifying tachograph charts.
They were fined 4100 per offence and ordered to pay £200 costs.
Andrew Cardus of Barrel Sykes, Settle, pleaded guilty to two counts of falsification and was fined £100 per offence with £100 costs.
Mark Knights of Castle Street, Settle, pleaded guilty to one offence and was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.
Prosecuting, Adrian Dent said that in an initial police interview Moran denied knowing about interrupter switches in Floyd's trucks. However, Moran later admitted installing the switches and showing them to the drivers.
For Moran, Mark Laprell said the firm's deteriorating financial position had tempted Moran to run illegally.