Freight News
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Haulier discharged on false document charges
Taylor in court
DURING 1980 Philip Leo Taylor, operating as Taylor's Transport of Lichfield, ran at least half his fleet without excise licences, and some vehicles were operated with no test certificate.
This was said when Mr Taylor, presently serving three years' imprisonment for handling stolen vehicles and excise licences (CM, December 15, 1983) was given a conditional discharge for two years and ordered to pay £21,194.53 back-duty after he admitted a variety of offences before the Lichfield magistrates.
Peter Wiseman, prosecuting for West Midland Licensing Authority Ronald Jackson, said Mr Taylor had been a wellknown haulier in the area, being authorised to operate 58 vehicles and 16 trailers.
There were 30 offences involv ing forged documents, ten of which related to test certificates; 15 to photostat test certificates; three to 0-licence discs, one to a plating certificate and another to an international journey permit. In addition there were 28 offences of operating vehicles without excise licences; 13 of operating vehicles without test certificates and four of failing to surrender 0-licence identity discs.
An investigation was triggered when police officers took note of excise licences displayed on two of Mr Taylor's vehicles in November 1980. A widespread practice of operating untested vehicles without excise duty being paid was discovered.
The tax disc displayed had been issued in regard to other vehicles at a lower rate of duty.
There were genuine test certificates of which the dates had been altered, and there were also test certificates where the details of the vehicle had been altered and photostats taken. The photostats were produced at police stations with the ex cuse that the originals had been lost. A total of 28 untaxed vehicles had been operated.
The date of the international journey permit had been altered and the weight limit deleted making it an unlimited permit.
Defending, John Philpott said that Mr Taylor had built up a major business through sheer hard work. He had started with nothing and he had ended with nothing.
The root of the trouble had been that he had run the business himself, refusing to delegate, and difficulties arose when he was out of action for a year due to major surgery.
There was no evidence that Mr Taylor had forged the excise licences and test certificates himself, and a person had given evidence at the Crown Court that he had instigated the offences to try and keep the business running in Mr Taylor's absence.
Mr Taylor had lost everything, his friends, his family, his business and his home, said Mr Philpott.
Ordering Mr Taylor to pay the back duty, the magistrates said that in the circumstances they did not propose to punish him further.