In court again
Page 10
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• Thorpe Marriott, Norwich-based Charter Transport boss Mark Charles Crooks has admitted in court to pressuring his drivers to falsify tachograph records.
The haulier made a second court appearance last week facing a series of tachograph offences after an undercover operation by the VI. He was found guilty at Norwich Magistrates Court of five offences of permitting drivers to have insufficient daily rest and one offence of failing to comply with a written notice to produce tachograph sheets.
Crooks was given a conditional discharge but costs of £500 were awarded against him. His co-defendant Graham James Etheridge was fined £100 for each of four offences of taking insufficient daily rest and two offences of making false tachograph entries, plus £100 in costs.
The previous week Crooks was found guilty by Norwich Crown Court of 10 tacho offences with 65 others taken into consideration. He was saved from prison after his defence argued his firm would collapse. Instead he was sentenced to 50 hours community service for each offence to run concurrently and fined £2,000.