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Duckett loses his appeal
Page 18
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• Somerset-based haulier Arthur Duckett has lost his appeal to have a fine of £1,780 quashed at Taunton Crown Court. His offences relate to overloading and using illegalwidth ex-Soviet Army Belaz dump trucks.
Duckett had been originally fined £2,070 and the defence told the court that the Red Army Belaz trucks had been stopped last September taking large rocks to a sea defence project at Minehead.
Judge Joyanne Bracewell said that the outstanding penalties were wholly justified and ordered Duckett to pay them plus £125 costs.
Amanda Cranny, for Duckett, said he had been asked by Somerset County Council and English China Clays to help shift 40,000 tonnes of boulders for sea defence work. The boulders had to weigh not less than five to six tonnes each. Duckett bought two ex-Soviet Army dump trucks which he considered to be the only vehicles suitable for the work, and he talked to both the police and taxation authorities when registering the vehicles. Duckett maintained that he had been given contradictory information about their classification by the taxation authorities.
Duckett is now applying to the Secretary of State for Transport supported by the county council, to acquire exemption from the regulations.