1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176 
Haulier jailed for false tacho records
Page 13
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A TYNESIDE HAULIER was sentenced to 15 months for falsifying tachograph records last week (27 March).
Mark Howden, a director of M&M Howden of Throckley. near Newcastle, was given the sentence after pleading guilty to 250 counts of falsifying the records, as well two other counts of conspiracy to falsify records. The original trial took place at Newcastle Crown Court at the end of January (21-22 January).
Twenty-two other drivers who worked for the firm also pleaded guilty to falsifying tacho records. Two of them received custodial sentences, while others were fined from £400 upwards or given community service of between 18 and 180 hours.
The drivers admitted various methods of producing the false records. Some used false names and others pulled out fuses to stop the tachograph working. Dummy charts were also used to hide driving or work-related time in an effort to indicate rest periods that were not taken.
Alex Eiddes, Vosa chief operating officer, says: "This case highlights Vosa's determination to bring to account operators and drivers who put others at risk by flouting the law and compromising road safety."