False records lead to fine
Page 15
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
ANOTHER of Alan Brooks' drivers was fined £500 by Bexley magistrates last week for failing to enter relevant information in his individual record book.
Geoffrey David Bellairs of Dartford, Kent, was not represented in court and pleaded not guilty to 19 separate charges of working for more than 60 hours in one week, unlawfully exceeding the permitted working day and failing to take appropriate rest intervals.
He also pleaded not guilty to ten charges of failing to enter relevant information in his individual record book. Two other charges were withdrawn by the prosecution.
Mr Bellairs was stopped at 10.22 on the A361 at Frome, Somerset, last May, and his record book was found to contain no entries after 5.15.
Prosecuting, John Corballis said that Mr Bellairs' records showed driving hours were being exceeded, but in fact it seemed that the driver had little idea about the correct way to complete records. On one date, the record book showed that Mr Bellairs worked 15 hours and was on duty for nine and a half hours before taking a rest.
Mr Bellairs replied that his records books were always accepted by his employer and he was never instructed how to use them, but admitted he had never read the instructions for doing so inside the book itself.
Mr Corballis said it was clear records had not been kept up to date, but Mr Bellairs claimed that when the anomalies were pointed out to him, his employer had never asked to see the record sheets.
Mr Bellairs was fined £50 for each of the ten offences, and was also ordered to pay £25 costs. It was not known until after the fine was imposed that Mr Bellairs was unemployed since losing his job with Alan Brooks just after Christmas.
The case against Mr Brooks was adjourned until June.