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156 
Ex-director cleared g minibus charges
Page 25
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• James Ramage, a former director of Scunthorpeased Scott Cabs will have 1,600 of his defence costs aid out of public funds after a ,ries of charges involving the se of minibuses to carry thoolchildren were dropped, Id he was cleared of using a linibus without insurance. Ramage, of Colima Avenue, shby, Scunthorpe, had denied ding and abetting a driver to lye when not the holder of a SV driving licence, and using thicles without a PSV 0:ence, without test certifiites, without Certificates of tidal Fitness, without insurice and when a higher rate of hide excise duty was payle, on 25 November and 13 ecember 1988.
Scott Cabs was convicted of milar offences at an earlier aring, and ordered to pay les and costs totalling 22,850. Offering no evidence in re>ect of all the allegations exTot that of using a vehicle ithout insurance on 25 ovember, Stephen Baggott, psecuting, said it was ;cepted that Ramage had resned his directorship of Scott abs on 23 November. Baggott said that on 25 ovember a minibus had been ;ed to carry children to a hool in Gainsborough. The !hide was not up to PSV fety standards, being little more than a works bus.
There was an insurance proposal form in the name of a James Ramage, with a different address, in respect of a Ford Cortina, and a cover note with the CoHum Avenue address for the minibus.
Traffic examiner Malcolm Plaskitt said he had interviewed Ramage after seeing the vehicle in use on 25 November. Ramage told him he had borrowed a driver from Scott Cabs and had got the petrol money from Scott Cabs. He had been carrying the children as a favour to a friend and in his view the minibus was not a public service vehicle as only six children were being carried.
In evidence, Ramage denied telling the traffic examiner he had borrowed a driver from Scott Cabs. maintaining that the minibus had been used without his knowledge on 25 November.
He said the insurance proposal form had been made out in the name of his father. However, he had gone to the insurance brokers and asked for the policy to be changed from his father to himself, and to have the minibus specified.
Ramage said he had become the registered keeper and owner of the minibus on 15 November but said it had not been used until 25 November, and then without his knowledge.
The magistrates found the charge not proved.