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Tache cheats given community service
Page 20
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Three drivers for Hexham-based William Martin Oliver & Partners have been given community service orders and ordered to pay £1,200 each in costs, after admitting to falsifying tachograph charts.
Last July, 10 of the firm's drivers were jailed for two months for similar offences and another 12 were ordered to do community service varying between 100 and 240 hours (CM1-1 Aug; 8-14 Aug 2002).
Leslie Barrett of Pontefract pleaded guitty to 18 offences; Ainsley Gowland, of Haltwistle, to 11 offences, and Windermere-based John Whelan, to seven offences.
Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate at Newcastle Crown Court, Mark Laprell claimed the men had falsified tachograph records day after day to hide inadequate rest and excessive driving. The prosecution believed the firm's management must have known that the drivers were not complying with the drivers' hours regulations. The worksheets that the drivers filled in and submitted led to them being paid for hours they amid not legitimately work.
At least 70 drivers were employed at the time, and the number prosecuted accounted for just short of 50%; the other 50% were probably doing the same thing but not to the same extent. The falsifications were achieved by electronic interference, most probably by 'pulling the fuse'. it was extremely obvious that these drivers were not having the required rest, lie said.
Ordering Barratt and Gowland to do 190 hours community service, and Whelan 220 hours, Judge Bernice Batton said that they were very lucky they were not looking at substantial prison sentences for causing death by dangerous driving. She accepted that the drivers had been "leaned on" but there had been a blatant and very dangerous disregard for the regulations. She was quite happy in her own mind that everyone in the firm, from top to bottom, knew what was going on.
The case against a fourth driver, Dean Wear, was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.