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Licence suspended for using a magnet

16th February 2012
Page 10
Page 10, 16th February 2012 — Licence suspended for using a magnet
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By Roger Brown

A DRIVER from Scottish borders haulier S&S International has had his LGV driving licence suspended for nine months after he admitted using a magnet to falsify tachograph records.

In a written decision following a joint driver conduct and public inquiry in December, trafic commissioner (TC) for Scotland Joan Aitken said Thomas Scott, who was also the transport manager at the Jedburgh-based business, had “crossed the line into unlawfulness”.

S&S International – authorised to run one vehicle and trailer – is run by Scott’s partner Shirley Scott. She had told the TC that she had read about use of magnets in CM, but had no idea of how it was done and knew it was illegal. In June 2010 a VOSA trafic examiner stopped a truck being driven by Thomas Scott.

When the examiner downloaded information from the tachograph unit, it showed a discrepancy between the recording equipment and the vehicle’s odometer in the mileage given. Scott had used a magnet to interfere with the proper recording of his driving and rest.

He was subsequently convicted at Kings Lynn magistrates’ court in September 2010 of recording data that he knew was false. The court handed him a discharge, suspended for 12 months.

Aitken also ruled that Thomas Scott had lost his repute as a transport manager, and gave Shirley Scott a warning in relation to drivers’ hours and tachographs.

She was given three months to nominate a satisfactory transport manager replacement Aitken concluded: “I cannot ignore that this driver knowingly used a magnet and interfered with the proper recording of his driving and rest. He crossed the line into unlawfulness.”

Tags

Organisations: UN Court
Locations: Jedburgh

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