Motorway check uncovered driver's false tacho records
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• The driver of a vehicle stopped by police for acting suspiciously on the 11,16 was ordered to pay L=175 in fines and costs after admitting two tachograph offences, Paul Cartmail, who drives for Skeath Transport of Co Managhan, Eire, appeared before Crewe magistrates. He pleaded guilty to falsifying a tachograph chart and failing to enter the date and was fined £200 for each offence with £75 costs.
John Heaton, prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, said that a traffic examiner on patrol in a police vehicle noticed Cartma it's truck
following them Cartmail on the M6. They slowed down to allow the truck to pass so he
could be stopped safely in order to check his documents.
However, Cartmail stayed behind the police car and as they passed a slip road he immediately signalled and left the
caught re having false
motorway. The police officer also managed to leave the motorway and CartmailS vehicle was stopped.
Cartmail had falsified his chart by altering the clock on the
record endorse the date
on a second chart he was creating for that day, and the prosecution maintained that he planned to falsify his tachograph again.
Heaton said the vehicle was a fully loaded 38-tonne artic carry ing ::ruit and vegetables from Holland to Eire via Dover and Holyhead.
At the time he was stopped, Cartrtail should have heen about to start a rest period but was clearly heading for Holyhead, some three to four hours' driving away It was just good fortune, and good investigative work, that had led tp Cartmail being stopped, Heaton added. He had been caught red-handed having made a false record.
Cartmail said that he was guilty of making two mistakes due to pressure of work. He had now learnt his lesson.