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Davis' fines cut
Page 29
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• An £82,000 fines and costs bill imposed on the father and son, directors of a haulage company, for working their drivers long hours and forging log sheets, was cut to £48,000 by the Court of Appeal on Monday. SoIly Davis, 56, and his son, Ronald, 31, both of Amos Grove, Southgate, London, were convicted at the Old Bailey on January 14 of three conspiracy charges. Two were for conspiring to cause goods vehicles to be driven excessive hours and without the drivers having the required intervals of rest. The third was conspiring to forge documents.
On Monday, Lord Parker, the Lord Chief Justice, Lord Justice Megaw and Mr Justice James halved the £50,000 fine imposed on Sally Davis. The £2000 fine on Ronald Davis stands.
At the trial, the men were ordered to pay jointly £30,000 towards the prosecution costs,
The Appeal Court ordered Sally Davis to pay £20,000 .costs and Ronald Davis to pay £1000, An appeal by their company, Charles Poulter Ltd, of Seaway House, The Highway, 5tepney, against a £750 fine, was dismissed. The Court did not interfere with suspended prison sentences of two years on Solly Davis and 12 months on Ronald Davis.
Mr Justice James said it was a very grave offence and the two men only missed prison by "the skin of their teeth".
The men used a system of work which was in defiance of the haulage driving regulations and when the Ministry of Transport began the investigation more than 400 drivers' log book sheets were forged in an attempt to cover up.
As a result of the trial, the company's turnover had been reduced from £50,000 a month to £25,000 a month. It had now been refused a haulage licence and had stopped trading.
The Court felt that the fine on Solly Davis and the costs bill on Ronald Davis were excessive, said the Judge.