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Banned Armet drivers fail to keep licences
Page 23
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NINE DRIVERS EMPLOYED by Liverpool-based Armet Logistics have failed to prevent disqualification orders against their HGV licences pending their appeals.
The nine drivers had appealed against disqualification from holding HGV licences for varying periods of time because of the falsification of tachograph records. Magistrates refused to delay the disqualifications until after their appeals have been heard. In total, 27 drivers were convicted of 348 offences of falsification over a six-month period, and 26 appeared before North Western Deputy Traffic Commissioner Tom Macartney.
The 26 drivers had their HGV licences suspended or revoked, with disqualifications from holding such licences for periods of up to five years (`Tacho fiddling Armet drivers are banned', CM 2 July).
District Judge Abelson, sitting at South Sefton Magistrates' Court, was asked to "stay" the implementation of the disqualifications because it would put the operator in difficulty pending the appeal hearings.
Refusing a stay in each case, and fixing a date for the appeal hearings in August. the District Judge concluded that he had no power to grant a stay under legislation.
The judge added that if he was wrong, and if he did have such a power, he was not going to interfere with the orders made by Macartney.
The drivers appealing are: Paul Byrne, Dale Bottomley, and John Richardson, all disqualified for two years; John Pickett, disqualified for 12 months; Christopher Fox, disqualified for three years; George Richardson, disqualified for six months; David Sprung, disqualified for nine months; and Haydyn Wills, who has been disqualified for 18 months.