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Whistleblower gets fined
Page 20
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A whistleblowing 110 driver who took
his vehicle to the police because he felt that it was in a dangerous condition has ended up wfth a hefty fine for drivers' hours and tachograph offences.
Thomas Philpott of °diem pleaded guilty to one offence of falsifying a tachograph record, five of driving for more than 41.5 hours without the required break, one of insufficient daily rest and one of exceeding the daily driving limit when he appeared before Rochdale Magistrates. He was fined £700 with £125 costs.
Prosecuting for the Velkle Inspectorate, John Heaton said the drivers' hours and tachograph legislation was designed to ensure that tired drivers were not driving HGVs. Philpott had been employed by Sarea Younis, trading as Younis Haulage, of Ashton-under-Lyme. The offences, which were corn
mitted in a period of about three weeks, came to light after he had taken his vehicle to the police because he was unhappy about its mechanical condition and the police directed him to a roadside check.
When interviewed, Philpott said that when he spoke to Sarea Younis about his hours she had told him just to get the job done. He was paid £300 a week through the books and £50 cash in hand. He had been in fear of losing his job if he did not meet the deadlines and alleged that he had been told by Sarea Younis to put another driver's name an one of his tachograph charts.
For Philpott, Nick Ross said: "The defendant was very much between a rock and a hard place. It is quite clear that, but for presenting himself to the police, it is likely that these matters would not have come to light at all." The vehicle had failed annual test but Philpott w pressurised into taking it ol said Ross.
Philpott found himself in very difficult situation. He w placed under increased prE sure to carry out journeys Felixstowe and back during ti day.
When his vehicle failed annual test for defect brakes, among other things, I had simply had enough.