Cropper Appeal H eard In High Court THREE High Court
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judges were asked I on Wednesday to uphold the conviction of Mr. Ralph Charles Frederick Cropper a transport consultant, of Claremont, Farnborough Hill, Kent at Marlborough Street, London, Magistrates' Court on December 3, 1963. for making a false statement to the Ministry of Transport to obtain an A licence.
The Ministry of Transport appealed to Lord Parker (Lord Chief Justice), Mr. Justice Ashworth and Mr, Justice Brabin, sitting in the Queen's Bench Divisional Court, from a decision of the London Sessions Appeals Committee of February 5 allowing Mr. Cropper's appeal and awarding him 75 gns. costs.
Mr. Cropper had been fined £25 by the Marlborough Street Magistrate, Mr. J. H. L. Aubrey-Fletcher, and ordered to pay 100 gns costs.
Mr. Nigel Bridge, for the Ministry, said that Mr. Cropper had been convicted at the Magistrates' Court of falsely stating in July, 1962, that the operating centre of Longfield Transport Ltd., was 56a Abbey Grove, Abbey Wood, London, S.E.2, contrary to Section 235 (1) (a) of the 1960 Road Traffic Act.
Counsel contended that no vehicles ever operated from Abbey Grove and, after procuring the issuing of the A licence to Longfield Transport Ltd., Mr. Cropper made a series of applications under the Road Traffic Act, 1960, to vary the terms of the licence until the company, with the licence as its sole asset, was sold for £2,600.
Mr. Bridge said that after hearing evidence for the prosecution the members of Appeals Committee found there was no case to answer and allowed Mr. Cropper's appeal. He submitted that was against the weight of evidence.
Mr. M. H. Jackson-Lipkin; for Mr. Cropper, said the Appeals Committee were quite justified in coming to the decision that there was an intention to use the Abbey Wood address. In making the application Mr. Cropper had intimated not that he was operating from the address but that he intended to' operate from that address. Counsel had not concluded their legal submissions when the hearing was adjourned until yesterday.