"Carried on A Cat and Mouse Trade With Pirate Vehicles' —Solicitor
Page 43
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
AT a hearing lasting four hours last week, Cannock (Staffordshire) magistrates heard cases brought by the Ministry of Transport concerning the unauthorized use of vehicles for the conveyance of fare-paying passengers, The vehicles, two Morris Minibuses belonging to Mr. Aubrey Dean. of Broadway, liednesford, and a Bedford Van belonging to Mr. Percy Green, of Broadway. Hedncsford, were stated to have been used for taking workers to factories.
For the prosecution, Mr. M. P. Pugh described it as a very serious case and said that any suggestion that fares had not been paid was fantastic. One witness would say, "1 expected to pay; it would be daft if I didn't," and that summed it up perfectly. Mr. Pugh added that the journeys were made from July 18 to July 25 despite the fact that the legal position had been pointed out to the defendants in June. They had been carrying On a
cat-and-mouse trade with " pirate" vehicles.
Every effort had been made to avoid detection and it would appear that there had been a conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, passengers having been told to say that they did not pay.
Mr, Pugh added that examiners saw the vehicles, which carried 11 passengers and a driver, load up and unload at different' points and evidence was that the average fee was 3s. a day, although only 6d. had been paid for one short journey.
Dean, when interviewed, said that he thought he was legally entitled to do what he was doing. He had p.s.v. licences but no road service licences and did not think he needed them.
All Paid Fares Twelve passengers were called and they all testified that they had paid fares, but not to Dean. The money had been paid to two women who organized the journeys.
Dean testified that he still believed he was entitled to do wharhe had done. He had contract licences, and the vehicles were On contract to the two women organizers. Green said he had not received any money in respect of one journey which his son had undeftaken.
For the defence, Mr. E. Curran submitted that the vehicles used were ordered as a whole, were on contract, and did not need road service licences.
After dismissing two summonses against Dean the bench fined him E5 on each of eight charges of using the vehicles without a road service licence and 20s. for aiding and abetting a man to drive without being licensed. Dean was also ordered to pay £20 4s. costs of witnesses, and £8 8s. advocate's fee.
Three summonses against Greer, were dismissed. On charges of causing a vehicle to be used as an express carriage without a p.s.v. licence; without a road service licence; and driving without the appropriate licence, he was fined £5 on each of six charges.
He was also fined 110 for having no policy of insurance and was ordered to pay £1 10s. costs of witnesses and 12 2s. advocate's fee.