Driver fitted blown fuse to tacho
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• A self-employed driver who used a blown fuse on a tachograph to try to get round driving hours limits has been fined just £200 and ordered to pay £100 costs.
David McMullan, of Mayarget Road, Ballycastle, Northern Ireland, was found guilty in his absence of making a false entry on a tachograph.
Beverley Bell, prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, told West Bromwich magistrates that McMullan's 38-tonne lorry had been examined at the M6 lorry park at Perry Barr, Birmingham.
The Vehicle Inspectorate officials found that the tachograph clock was 12 hours out because McMullan had put a blown fuse in the machine. It showed McMullan had been resting when, in fact, he had been driving.
Balbir Parpagga, defending, said McMullan had committed the offence so that he could deliver his load of potatoes to a market on time.
The name of the firm McMullan was driving for was not disclosed.
West Bromwich magistrates issued a warrant for the arrest of an owner-driver after he
failed to appear in court to answer three motoring charges.
Stuart Fitzpatrick, of Bingley Road, Anfield, Liverpool, is accused of using a goods vehicle without a licence, fraudulent use of a vehicle licence and hav ing no excise licence.
Beverley Bell, prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, said the offences were alleged to have happened on 5 May. Fitzpatrick was both the owner of the firm and the driver.