A North Wales haulier who operated untaxed vehicles because of
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financial problems escaped with a warning when he appeared before Welsh Traffic Commissioner David Dixon.
Mark Kynaston, based at Jay, near Wrexham, holds a licence for four vehicles. The TC said that when considering Kynaston's repute it had been a olose run thing.
Traffic examiner Geoffrey Whitley said that a comparison of Kynaston's tachograph records with information Dbtained from the Vehicle Registration Office revealed that three vehicles had each been used without VED for a month. cynaston had falsely declared
that the vehicles had not been used on the road. When interviewed, Kynaston had freely admitted what he had done, saying that he had severe cash flow problems following the bankruptcy of a major customer.
He was prosecuted and fined 21,560, with 1125 costs and £926.67 back duty.
Kynaston said that the firm concerned had gone under in January 1997 owing him 253,600 and he had not received a penny piece since. "I carried on by second mortgaging my house, factoring my debts and selling my insurance and endowment policies," he told the TC.
Asked how long he had been running the vehicles without tax. Kynaston said: 'The first time it happened was in October when I was struggling for money, and the second time was in December.
"I was a stupid idiot," he told the TC. "I will never ever do it again—I tell you, you will never ever see me again, I promise you...it is the worst time of my life."
For Kynaston, Jack Evans asked the TC to consider his impeccable record going back more than 13 years. "He has really been absolutely shattered by the whole process," he added.
Asked why he had signed the false declarations, Kynaston said: "It was crass stupidity. I was angry with the system I had grown up to respect. It did not protect mi seemed to be protectir man who took my money.'
Taking no action, the 1 Kynaston: "My judgement you are not a long-term You have been very foolist