Licence bid fails on past trading names
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• A bid for a new international licence by a man said to have run a number of haulage businesses using different names, has been refused.
Albert Cheetham, trading as Evian Transport, of Kirkleatham Lane, Redcar, applied for a licence for one vehicle and one trailer, based at the premises of Kayenne Transport, Bolckon Industrial Estate, Grangetown, Cleveland. He failed to appear at a Leeds public inquiry before North Eastern Deputy Licensing Authority Brian Horner.
Horner said that legal consultant Ward International requested an adjournment on Cheetham's behalf. That request was refused and Ward had not chosen to appear on his behalf today.
PC Christopher Smith said that a vehicle being driven by Cheetham was stopped twice in January. An excise licence at the private light goods rate was applied for by Strathern Transport expiring at the end of August.
Three days after the vehicle was stopped for the second time, a concessionary goods vehicle excise licence was applied for. The vehicle was displaying an 0licence disc issued to Strathern Transport which was invalid on both occasions. Cheetham failed to attend a subsequent interview where he was to surrender the disc. A warrant for his arrest was issued when he failed to turn up at court to answer charges of fraudulently using an operator's licence. County court records showed a series of unpaid debts in the name of Strathern Transport, the largest being £1,060.
Inquiries revealed that a David Strathern was claiming unemployment benefit.
Cheetham had left an address in Dundas Street in 1991, but still used it when stopped by traffic examiners.
DVLC records showed that he had used the identities of David Cheetham, David Strathern and Albert Cheetham. He had used the trading names of Company Hire, DAS Vehicle Hire, Strathern Transport, Elm Transport and currently Evian Transport.
PC Smith said there was evidence that Cheetham had been operating a vehicle in a dangerous condition, and prohibitions had been issued when it had been stopped in checks.
PC John Longstaff said that he had called at the address of the nominated transport manager, a man said to be Edward Mitford. A girl of about 15 answered the door and she had said that she did not know anyone called Mitford. He suspected that Mitford might be another fictitious name.
Horner said that he con sidered that Albert Cheetham, alias David Cheetham and David Strathern, was unfit to hold a licence.
It was a disgraceful situation. It was clear that fraudulent attempts had been made to obtain licences in different names.