Bill reveals excess hours
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• Falsifying a tachograph chart and taking insufficient daily rest, cost Inverurie lorry driver Ronald Watson £440 in fines and costs at Wigan magistrates court.
Prosecuting, Lynsay Thomas said that on 16 February a police officer stopped Watson's artic on Warrington Road, Wigan. A chart dated 9 December appeared to show that Watson. of Kellands Road, Inverurie, started work at 07:20 hours and finished at 18:10 hours at Aberdeen. However, there was a fuel receipt which showed his vehicle had refuelled at 21:09hrs.
When interviewed, Watson had admitted removing the fuse from the tachograph for some stretches. He had admitted he had gone on working until 08:10hrs on 10 December. He said that often he had been sitting waiting and that was why he had done it.
Defending, John Backhouse said Watson had only been on long-distance work since October. He was told that a load in Grimsby would not be ready until late, which would have meant he had to stay out for the weekend. As that would have caused family problems, he decided to get back for Saturday morning.
Watson's employment was now in some doubt, as the company he worked for had a policy of dismissing drivers if they were found to be falsifying tacho charts. However, he had worked for that company for four years without any previous incidents.