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Falsified records lead to prison cell
Page 5
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I Eight drivers who work for the ;ame Hexham-based haulage firm lave all been jailed for two months 'or falsifying tachograph records :yen though the judge accepted that hey had been "leaned on".
Newcastle upon Tyne Crown ourt heard that there had been a 'culture" of falsifying tachographs at William Martin Oliver & Partners. the men, who all committed more .han 20 tacho offences, had altered he records day after day in a bid to iide inadequate rest and excessive driving.
In sentencing them, Judge 3ernice Bolton said that they had aken a huge risk and were very lucky hey were not looking at substantial rison sentences for causing death 3y dangerous driving. In her judgecent the only penalty for offending of that nature was immediate custody. They had all been on the roads during the winter when they had had little or no rest and a deterrent sentence had to be passed.
Earlier, Judge Bolton had said she accepted that the drivers had been "leaned on" but there had been a "blatant and very dangerous" disregard for the regulations, She was quite happy in her own mind that the firm, including top management, knew what was going on.
"I accept that it was part of the William Martin Diver culture that you should fiddle and you felt obliged to go along with it," she told the eight men.
• A further 14 of the firm's drivers were due to appear before Judge Bolton the following day. Full report in next week's CM,