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VI 'wasting court time'
Page 19
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The Vehicle Inspectorate was criticised for wasting court time when 52 out of 86 drivers' hours and tachograph charges brought against John Thompson, trading as Johnny Queens Compressors, and three dri vers, were withdrawn before the Dolgellau magistrates.
Thompson, of Blaenau Ffestiniog, faced 42 charges of making false tachograph records, using false instruments, exceeding the daily driving limit, driving for more than 4.5 hours without the required break and failing to use a tachograph.
Michael Pickering, of Loughborough, faced 11 charges of making false tachograph charts; using false instruments, namely false tachograph charts; and taking insufficient daily rest. Kenneth Jones, of Blaenau Ffestiniog, faced 31 similar charges and the fraudulent use of an 0-licence. Alan Diamond, of Blaenau Ffestiniog, faced two charges of using a false instrument.
Among the charges withdrawn were the two faced by Diamond. Jones, Pickering and Thompson then pleaded guilty to the others.
Maldwyn Parry, of Pickering and Thompson, said the latter ran a small business In Blaenau Ffestiniog and the prosecution had to accept that he had wrongly been given permission to allow Jones to operate on his licence by the Traffic Area Office. Thompson had a 20-year clean record. One of the charges related to driving just three kilometres more than he should have done and a trip to Switzerland involved an extra 36km.
Pickering had carried on to avoid a costly overnight stop. Other offences related to him driving six and 15km more than he should.
Tudor Owen, for Jones, said he was a hard working man of good character His lorries could not be used because of the charges.
Jones and Pickering were given conditional discharges for 12 months and Thompson an absolute discharge.
Chairman of the magistrates Robin Price said they were concerned at the massive waste of time and money in bringing the charges and that was why they were not imposing any financial penalties or costs.