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Home Office demands triple fines for hauling stowaways

4th May 2000, Page 4
4th May 2000
Page 4
Page 4, 4th May 2000 — Home Office demands triple fines for hauling stowaways
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

zit by Melanie Hammond

One of the UK's largest trailer leasing firms, TIP Europe, has been fined £8,000 after four stowaways were found inside a trailer on lease to one of its clients. This is the first time a leasing firm has been held liable under the new Immigration Act; it will do nothing to stave off criticism that the act is "ill conceived".

And the Home Office is also demanding £8,000 penalties from both the hirer of the trailer. Oldham-based JP Trans, and owner-driver Gary Lyons who was hauling the semi when he was stopped at Dover.

Geoff Moody of JP Trans says Lyons had checked the trailer when it was loaded with pallets of house tiles in Belgium on 22 April. Moody suspects the "clandestines", as they are described by the Home Office, gained entry to the trailer at Calais where Lyons took a nap before boarding the ferry.

TIP marketing manager John Fletcher says: "How can we be liable for how a vehicle is used after it is leased out to a customer? This doesn't happen in cases of road traffic accidents when the driver of a leased vehicle has been found speeding.

"The legislation is clearly unworkable," he adds. The Home Mice seems to be taking a shotgun approach where they fine everyone and hope that at least one or two will stick."

Fletcher points out that the scale of the problem for all leasing firms could be immense. '`We have to defend our position," he says, warning that if this type of fine continues TIP might be forced to increase its rates.

Moody also plans to appeal: "My company can't afford to just give away 28,000, so imagine what it's going to do to Gary Lyons," he says.

Tags

Organisations: Home Office
Locations: Oldham

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