Fake tacho trial goes ahead
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ALL FIVE defendants in the fake tachograph records con spiracy trial at Preston Crown Court have a case to answer, Judge Alistair Bell decided at the start of the seventh Week of the trial.
William Graham and Gordon Greenwood, directors of Charter Roadways Ltd, Gordon McLeod, Charter's former general manager, and traffic clerks Philip Lonsdale and David Lindley all deny conspiring together and with drivers to make false entries in tachograph charts (CM, February 22).
Counsel for all five defendants submitted that there is insufficient evidence for the case to go before the jury. They argued that there was a danger of the defendants being convicted on a mountain of generalisation. Where it had been possible to test specific instances, the defence had considerable success, they said.
Not enough Leo Charles QC, for Greenwood, said the drivers had resented their working conditions because they were not earning enough money. That was a very different matter from complaining about the workload.
Jack Tithe QC, for Lindley, said there was no doubt that the drivers had to. work very hard, but the international hours rules allowed that.
The drivers had very strong motives for giving evidence. They were accomplices who had not yet been sentenced and they had a grievance against Charter Roadways having worked long hours and having not got paid.
Driver after driver had conceded that most if not all of the falsification of charts had been for their own benefit.
Judge Bell ruled that the case should go forward against all the defendants.
Earlier, transport consultant Leon Donkin said that an examination of the traffic running sheets of Charter Roadways revealed journeys that could not be done legally.