No test or tax
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man whose truck displayed another operator's 0-licence disc and a tax disc that was issued to a car has been committed to crown Court for sentence.
Leslie Spires, of Berkeley Avenue, West Derby, Liverpool, pleaded guilty before the city's magistrates to using an 0-licence disc with intent to deceive, using a vehicle for hire and reward without the authority of an 0-licence, fraudulent use of a tax disc and using a vehicle without a valid annual test certificate.
Prosecuting for the Vehicle Inspectorate, John Heaton said Spires had displayed the tax disc from his own car and an 0-licence disc issued to NFT Distribution for a different vehicle. Subsequent enquiries revealed that Spires did not hold an 0-licence.
Defending, Jerry flown said Spires had picked up some contract work and had been saving to apply for an 0-licence and tax. The vehicle was now properly taxed and Spires now held an 0-licence. Nothing had been found wrong with the vehicle and the back duty had been paid.
He accepted that it could be said that people who had no 0-licence and proper tax made a fool of those who did, but he argued that a financial penalty was appropriate.
Committing Spires to Liverpool Crown Court, stipendary magistrate David Tapp said the offences were too serious for him to deal with by way of a fine.
He would have made a community service order had he had the power to do so, but only a crown court had the appropriate sentencing powers, Tapp concluded.