'1 had a rest two weeks ago' says driver
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A DRIVER who went 14 days without a weekly rest and committed other offences including falsifying tachograph charts has been ordered to pay £1,950 in fines and costs.
When Steven Gavin, of Mullingar, Co Westmeath, Ireland, appeared before the Leyland magistrates, he pleaded guilty to nine offences of using a false instrument, namely a tachograph chart; three of taking insufficient weekly rest:four of taking insufficient daily rest; and four of exceeding the daily driving limit.
Prosecuting for VOSA, Stephen Rodgers said Gavin's artic, which was laden with air freight, had been stopped in a police assisted check at Cuerden in May. The offences were revealed by an examination of the 75 tacho charts in the cab.
Nine of the charts were made out in the name of Padraig Lynch but the writing was similar to the charts made out in Gavin's name.
The charts showed that Gavin had worked up to 14 consecutive days without the required weekly rest; on one occasion he had taken as little as 3hr 50min daily rest.
When interviewed, Gavin said he had used Lynch's name to hide hours offences,making the false records when he was in Ireland. Asked when he had last had a legitimate weekly rest, he answered: "About two weeks ago."
For Gavin, Vanessa Hughes emphasised his good character and the fairly short period of time over which the offences had been committed.
The magistrates fined Gavin £1,800 with £150 court costs.