Prison sentence for Shropshire haulage firm boss
The owner of a Shropshire based haulage firm, has been sentenced to 8 months imprisonment, after an investigation into the company driving records.
Stephen Holding of SP Holding Services Ltd and SP Holding Tractor Hire Ltd based in Telford, Shropshire, was handed the prison sentence after being found guilty of allowing 10 of his drivers to commit 79 false driving record offences.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) Fraud Investigations Team carried out an investigation into the company’s driving hour’s practices. The investigation discovered that drivers were not complying with road traffic legislation relating to drivers’ hours and records. In most instances it was found that drivers were on duty for longer periods than they should have been
DVSA Head of Fraud and Integrity, Andy Rice, said:
“Whilst this type of offence is rare, DVSA takes the falsification of driving records very seriously and will pursue and prosecute anyone who attempts to undermine public safety”
“We are determined to tackle the small minority of operators and drivers who choose to break the rules, and we have effective measures in place to catch offenders quickly”
“We carry out investigations based on intelligence and information from the public and the haulage industry, as well as conducting checks across the strategic road network, using technology such as ANPR cameras, as well as enforcement officers at the roadside and at our check sites.”
At a sentencing hearing on 25 January 2016 at Shrewsbury Crown court, Mr Holding was sentenced to 8 months imprisonment.
On 30 October 2014 at Shrewsbury Magistrates Court the 10 drivers were fined a total of £10,000, with £1200 costs. Tracey Smith (ex-company secretary) appeared on 30 November 2015 at Shrewsbury Crown Court and pleaded guilty to 1 false record offence of aiding and abetting various drivers to make false records.
