Counterfeit case runs out of time
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by Jeff Weaver • International haulier David Lynne, who denies a catalogue of tachograph fiddling charges dating back to 1994, will have to wait until later in January to have his fate decided.
Magistrates trying him on charges of tacho chart forgery adjourned his case in mid-trial owing to lack of court time.
The director of David Lynne International of Hastonere, Surrey, denies 13 charges under the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act alleging fraudulent use of various charts between January and May 1994 knowing or believing they were false.
The prosecution claims he must have been aware of time and mileage discrepancies in the records.
Eleven of the charges arose out of alleged tachograph tampering by four of his drivers, mostly in the course of Continental work. The remaining two counts involve journeys when Lynne himself was at the wheel.
Also appearing before justices in Stroud, Glos was former Lynne driver Terry Gammage, of Addlestone, Surrey, who pleads not guilty to similar accusations. A second accused driver, Ray Holsgrove, of Ashford, Middx, was not present although the case against him was due to go ahead.
A third man, George Rogers. of Towntield, Isle worth, denies allegations of mak ing fraudulent charts, as opposed to using them. Another former Lynne driver, Graham Yorwerth
of Wrexham, has previously admitted producing false charts and has been conditionally discharged for two years.
Martin Setchell, prosecuting, said: "All these men are lorry drivers and Mr Lynne was either their employer or was the one giving them directions if they were technically self-employed. The allegations here are that tachograph charts produced by the vehicles they were then driving are false. Most of the driving was on the Continent; for that reason we cannot use the Transport Act_ "We cannot say the charts were created in this county," he added, "but we can say they were used in this country and on that basis we have jurisdiction. We say these charts do not properly record the distances driven on the days in question."
The trial ran out of time before police could be cross-examined by defence lawyers and before the prosecution had closed its case.
Proceedings were adjourned until -17 anuary.