Unlicensed haulier had stolen VED disc
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afx no 0Licence, has of a stolen VED disc, and having • Fraudulent use cost Manchester owner-driver James Johnston £1,374.66.
Johnston, of Storton Drive, Northern Moor, admitted the fraudulent use licence, failing to notify the change of ownership of a vehicle, using a vehicle without an excise licence and using it without an 0-licence, when he appeared before Manchester magistrates.
Prosecuting for the DOT, John Heaton said a 38-tonne artic driven by Johnston had been stopped by a traffic examiner. Johnston admitted to being the owner and of an excise operator of the vehicle. There was no 0-licence identity disc displayed in the window. Initially, Johnston claimed had a licence and was waiting for an application to specify the vehicle on the licence.
A stolen vehicle excise disc was displayed on the windscreen and it was found that there had been no registered keeper for the vehicle since 1991.
Johnston said that he had struggled financially to start his own business. He bought the tax disc from a man in a pub on the spur of the moment.
The magistrates fined Johnston £48 and ordered him to pay £1,291.66 back duty and £35 prosecution costs.