Staffs trial 'police threat'
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STAFFORDSHIRE haulier Philip Taylor alleged last week that he was threatened with physical violence by police officers if he did not sign statements confessing to receiving stolen vehicles and excise licences (CM, September 24).
He claimed that the statements were a "complete fiction" and that he would have signed anything to get out of the police station.
The trial of Mr Taylor, who denies handling four tractive units, a tilt trailer and nine excise licences knowing they were stolen is continuing before Stoke on Trent Crown Court.
In evidence, Mr Taylor claimed he had shown the police where he had a serious medical operation and that one of the officers had said that was the first place he would put his fists if the statements were not signed.
Mr Taylor said he had purchased the tractive units from truck dealer Bill Squires. Mr Squires had told him that they had been repossessed by a hire purchase company and he made an offer for the vehicles.
They were delivered to his home at Shenstone because if his drivers or fitters swapped parts with similar vehicles it would lead to trouble if the deals fell through. His own registration plates had been put on to disguise the vehicles to prevent anyone realising they were repossessed vehicles and putting in a better offer to the hire purchase company.
As far as the trailer was concerned, he was told by an employee that Mr Squires had dropped it off and asked whether it was of any use to them. However, his traffic was bulk liquids and tipper traffic and a tilt trailer was of no use to him. Mr Squires agreed to take it back. Mr Taylor denied painting out the name of the trailer's owner.
Mr Taylor said he had not told the police that his business had been going through a rough patch. In fact it had been doing quite well and had not been in any financial trouble.
He did not know anything about the stolen excise licences. He had not said to the police that he had bought the licences himself or that he had used an indelible-ink eraser on the licences and then inserted the details of his own vehicle.
The case continues.