Fined for 0-licence loan Ian Bridgwater pleaded guilty before Wrexham
Page 28
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
magistrates to allowing an 0-licence identity disc to be used by Paul Glendenning with intent to deceive.
Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, John Heaton said the offence was discovered when a vehicle was stopped at Gresford, near Wrexham. The driver said that Glendenning was his employer. An 0-licence disc was displayed in the name of Ian Bridgwater, but Bridgwater was not the operator.
Heaton said Glendenning had been refused a licence because of his record of offences, including the unauthorised use of vehicles.
During the month in which the offence was committed Glendenning had been paid £25,000 by Clwyd Transport for a waste contract for vehicles running from Liverpool to a landfill site at Ruabon, Heaton told the court. That was clearly big business. Part of Glendenning's fleet came from Bridgwater, who had lent his name to the operation.
Heaton pointed out that Bridgwater was a man who was ready to introduce Glendenning to a traffic examiner under a false identity, saying that he was his transport manager Dennis Owen.
Bridgwater had been introduced to Glen denning and a man named Warburton. He knew Glendenning did not have an 0-licence but he did not know the reason. He had been persuaded to put three vehicles that Glendenning and Warburton wanted to run on his licence.
Bridgwater had realised it was irregular but had not realised the seriousness of what he was doing, said Malpass; he thought he was allowing the two men to start in the haulage business. He had gained no financial reward from the arrangement, although fees for the 0-licence applications were paid by Glendenning.
Conceding Bridgwater had been advised in September 1996 that the arrangement was illegal, Malpass said he did not have the personality to bring it to an end.
Bridgwater had been used and he was the fall-guy in the situation: he had been a soft touch for people who were more worldly wise.
The magistrates fined Bridgwater £300 with £150 costs.