Licence lost for using HGV as a weapon TC revokes

13th May 2004, Page 31

13th May 2004

Page 31

Page 31, 13th May 2004 — Licence lost for using HGV as a weapon TC revokes

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0-licence and HGV driving licences after operator threatened woman with a truck

AN OPERATOR jailed for using a truck and a forklift as weapons in a row at his yard has been stripped of his 0-licence and banned from driving HGVs for seven years. His offences included driving a truck at a young mother and failing to report his conviction to the Traffic Area Office.

However, a new company of which he is a director has been granted a licence for 13 vehicles on the understanding that he does not adopt a "hands-on" role.

Alexander Skea, trading as Skea Removals & Storage of Arbroath, had been called before the ScottishTraffic Conunissioner Joan Aitken at a Dundee disciplinary inquiry. The TC was also considering an application for a new 0licence for 15 vehicles and 20 trailers by Alexander Skea Ltd, the directors of whom were Skea, William Dooley and Ronald Marshall. If this was granted a licence held by Marshall would be surrendered. No hands-on involvement

She granted a licence for 13 vehicles on condition that Skea's involvement would be limited to a return on investment and that Marshall would surrender his licence within 28 days. In January Skea was sentenced to three months' imprisonment after being convicted of abduction, conducting himself in a disorderly manner and driving a truck recklessly at excessive speed. Inspector Hudson of Tayside Police said that in June 2002 Alistair Hudson and Leigh

Kemp drove to Skea's yard to see Hudson's brother who worked for Skea as a truck driver. Also in the car was the couple's 15-month old daughter Erin. Hudson went into the portable office to see Skea and Dooley. A row ensued when Skea demanded to know the whereabouts of a welder that had been stolen from him. He left the office and locked Hudson in. He then drove a forklift truck to the rear of Hudson's car and put the forks underneath, scaring Leigh Kemp and her daughter.

When Kemp escaped from the car Skea drove a truck at her at excessive speed. Skea then forced Hudson to sign a piece of paper implicating a named individual in the theft.

Making the revocation and disqualification orders, the TC said that the events ofJune 2002 were serious. Essentially the vehicles were used as weapons. She could not accept that any HGV driver who used vehicles in such a manner was a fit person to continue to hold an HGV licence.

She also considered that Skea should not be in day-to-day control of a haulage operation. His judgement of how to deal with adversity was obviously poor.

She also bore in mind that he had been operating without a transport manager and that he had failed to notify the TAO of the convictions. That in itself showed that he had been failing in his ability to manage the business—it might be a reflection of a deterioration in his health. The TC granted the new company a licence for 10 vehicles, which would be increased to 13 if Marshall's licence was surrendered within 28

days. The TC said that Skea claimed his role in the proposed new licence was to make a return on his investment and not to take a hands-on role. Dooley and Marshall would be running the business. Limit on fleet size On that understanding she was prepared to grant the licence. However, given the circumstances surrounding the application for the new licence she was loath to grant authorisation for more vehicles than were on the current licence. •