Magistrates adjourn IRS hearing
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• A hearing into allegations of falsification of tachograph charts against eight drivers employed by Tanker Road Services has been adjourned by the Lichfield magistrates following not-guilty pleas. A ninth driver, who admitted three drivers hours offences, has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £100. The company has denied 55 offences of failing to produce and preserve tachograph records and of operating vehicles with unsealed tachographs. The hearing of those was also adjourned.
One driver, Glyn Griffith of Telford, accused of one offence of falsification, asked for the trial at Crown Court. The other seven, Terence Lewin of Walsall accused of one offence, Alfred Powell of Batley accused of seven offences, William Holden of Brownhills accused of two offences, Malcolm Edwards of Walsall accused of two offences, John Hunt of Ludershall near Andover accused of nine offences, Donald Ball of Wolverhampton accused of eight offences and Malcolm Arnold of Walsall accused of two offences have asked for trial before the magistrates.
John Griffiths of Walsall, admitted exceeding nine hours driving in a day, taking insufficient daily rest and driving for 41/2 hours without taking the required break. He was fined £20 per offence, with £40 costs.
Prosecuting for the West Midland Traffic Area, Barbara Stubbs said tachograph charts were seized from the company's depot by traffic examiners and police officers in November 1986. Griffiths' charts of 24 October 1986 revealed that he had driven for five hours 21 minutes, with a five minute break, that he had driven for 11 hours 25 minutes in total and that he had only taken eight hours 35 minutes rest.
Five days have been set aside for the trials of the other defendants.