Drivers ignored hours
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• Long-distance truckers on overseas hauls breached driving time restrictions to avoid prostitutes and bandits, and also to make up time lost through red tape.
At Cheltenham magistrates court last week, six drivers were given conditional discharges and each ordered to pay £150 costs when they pleaded guilty to forging tachograph records.
Martin Setchell, prosecuting, told the court the men ignored driving regulations and covered up by producing tachograph cards which did not reveal their extra hours.
The offences were uncovered when police raided the offices of Ralph Davies International in Cheltenham. "They found receipts for fuel and other services which showed these men were working when they claimed they were having a rest day," said Setchell.
Gerard McEvilly. defending Anthony Hadley of Halesowen, said: "There were times when he had to break the law when his driving time ran out in places where the washing and
catering facilities were not good and where he was pestered by prostitutes."
And Nick Morrow-Brown. defending Robert Irvine of Penrith, said: "At one time he had to pass through Romania and Bulgaria— uncivilised places where he was regularly threatened by bandits. In Smolensk his jaw was broken when he was attacked and robbed. When he got to Moscow his load was stolen."
The four other men who appeared before the court were David Payne of Hyde, Cheshire, Mark Stone of Stamford, Robert Cole of Lechlade and Howard Hughes of West Kirkby. Another 15 drivers are due to 'appear before
the court on 10 August to face similar charges.
Company owner Ralph Davies will appear at the same time on a summons alleging conspiracy, alongside his transport manager Stephen Bennett.