1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140 
DIY defence cuts fine
Page 14
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
• A company director has had his firm's fine reduced by £400 after conducting his own appeal against a "draconian" magistrates ruling last week.
Newhaven-based Network Seafoods and driver Richard Long were clobbered with fines totalling 0,000 in October after pleading guilty to one count of failing to complete a tachograph centrefield and one of failing to return a chart within 21 days (CM 30 Oct-5 Nov).
Director Peter Ellis says he could not afford to pay for further legal representation, so prepared a brief and conducted his own defence at Lewes Crown Court. When told of the charges, the judge asked: "Is that it?" says Ellis. "He reduced the company's fine by £400 and refused to allow the Vehicle Inspectorate's barrister's request for appeal costs."
"Justice has been about 60% done," he adds. "I'm happy that there is some common sense prevailing and I've made a substantial saving, so it was worth doing." He even got a sporting "well done" from the prosecuting barrister after the case.
Ellis would now recommend that other hard-done-by hauliers take similar action. "Just hope you get an understanding judge," he says.