Fines reduced on appeal
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II Haulier David Hesketh has won his appeal against fines of £2,000 which were imposed after he had admitted a number of drivers' hours and tachograph offences.
Hesketh, who trades as Hesketh Transport, based in Longridge, Lanes had pleaded guilty before Preston magistrates to one offence of permitting Gary Harvard to exceed the daily driving limit and one offence of permitting him to drive for 4.5 hours without 45 minutes' break, for which he was fined Z500 per offence; and to four offences of using vehicles when the tachograph was not used in accordance with the regulations. The destination had not been entered on the centre field of the
charts, for which he was fined £250 per offence. He was also ordered to pay ,£180 prosecution costs.
However, Preston Crown Court reduced the fines for the permitting offences to £350 per offence and for the tachograph offences to £125 apiece, making a total of £1,200.
The court was told that an investigation started after information was received from Harvard.
John Backhouse, for Hesketh, said he had treated Harvard leniently bemuse he had domestic difficulties but eventually he had to sack him, The other offences had been committed by a different driver while away from base, said Backhouse.
He pointed out that 22 other alleged permitting offences and five alleged tachograph offences had been dismissed by the magistrates.
The judge, Mr Recorder Bentham QC, ordered that Hesketh's appeal costs and two thirds of his defence costs before the magistrates should be paid out of public funds,