confusion of currencies
Page 21
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
II A plea for European-wide rules over the payment of fines was made after an Irish lorr) driver was kept in police cells for 12 hours in Wales after he was accused of three drivers' hours and tachograph offences.
Michael Olhole, of Pollerton, County Carlow, is employed by Irish haulier Leslie Graham.
When he appeared before Llanelli Magistrates O'Toole pleaded guilty to failing to enter his name on a tachograph chart, driving for more than 4.5 hours without taking the required 45minute break, and having the wrong time on his tachograph clock.
The court was told that O'Toole had been driving a 38tonne artic loaded with car components for Germany when he was stopped in Carmarthen soon after coming off the Fishguard ferry
Defending, Bob Powell said that security concerns meant that drivers were avoiding carrying large amounts of cash and O'Toole had been carrying small change in Swedish krone, German marks, Irish punts and sterling. If there was ever an argument for a European-wide method of collecting fines, this was it, he said.
This was about the sixth similar case he had dealt with in two years. There should be some regulation to allow fines to be recovered via the employer. If this had been a British lorry driver locked up in Greece people would be outraged, Powell added. He pointed out that the tachograph clock was exactly 12 hours out.
The record sheet showed O'Toole to have exceeded his driving hours while travelling between County Cork and County Carlow, yet they were dealing with the offence in Wales, which was very odd, said Powell.
The magistrates gave O'Toole a conditional discharge for one year.