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Death-threat haulier facing ruin
Page 86
Page 87
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• A Kent-based haulier has received death threats and had his truck cab vandalised after being mistaken for a tipper driver who killed a child in a hit-and-run accident.
Owner-driver Geoffrey Wallwork has had anonymous letters sent to his home but addressed to Kevin Taylor, a tipper driver jailed for 18 months after 11year-old Darren Owen died when Taylor's vehicle hit him in Sittingbourne in 1989.
But Wallwork says he looks nothing like Taylor, and has appeared on TVS television news to prove the attackers have targeted the wrong man.
Wallwork's Volvo F12 Globetrotter has been immobilised by vandals who caused £6,500 worth of damage to its cab in an attack on 17 January. A letter the same day warned: You murdering bastard — this time it's your lorry, next time it will be your wife and kid." As a result, Wallwork sent his two children to stay with a relative for the weekend. He has called in the police, who are investigating the attack on his lorry, but have offered no protection to his family.
"I've lost over £3,000 of work," says Wallwork. "If the truck's off the road much longer be finished." He has been forced to appeal to his bank manager for a bridging loan. Taylor was sentenced to 18 months in jail after the 1989 accident, in which he failed to stop, and was charged with other offences, including not possessing a HGV licence.
On his release, police claim, Taylor was wounded by a shotgun blast fired by the dead boy's father, Stephen Owen, who has been charged with attempted murder of Taylor; grievious bodily harm to Taylor's girlfriend, Alison Barrett; and possession of a sawn-off shotgun.
However, police do not link Owen in ally way with the threats to Wallwork, The threats against Wallwork began on 10 January. "There was a tap on the front door," says Wallwork, "When my boy answered he found a copy of the Jehovah's Witness paper, The Watchtower, with a letter addressed to Taylor inside."
The letter contained threats, suggesting the sender believed that Taylor, who lives in the area, was resident at Wallwork's address, or that Wallwork was Taylor.
The anonymous threat was followed by the attack on Wallwork's lorry, parked close to his home, on 17 January. A hole had been drilled under the door lock.
"My radio cassette was smashed: my tachograph was stolen; all the electrics were ripped out — I told the police, kids don't do that, my lorry has been immobilised for some reason," says Wallwork.
Kent police are investigating the attack on the lorry but have no suspects. The police say that the threatening letters offer no clues and that Wallwork is not entitled to compensation from the Criminal Injuries Board for the threats or the loss.