Boyle Transport MD admits tacho records were false

The boss of County Down-based haulage company Boyle Transport is awaiting sentence after he admitted getting his drivers to falsify their tachograph records.

Patrick Boyle, MD of the Northern Irish haulier, had previously denied any wrongdoing and said he did not know his drivers were creating false readings.

However, at a hearing at Carlisle Crown Court on 18 February, he changed his plea to guilty and admitted conspiring with drivers to make the false tacho readings. Boyle's plea of not guilty to a charge of perverting the course of justice was accepted by the prosecution.

His son Mark, also a director, pleaded guilty to the conspiracy. No evidence was offered against his other son Neil and he was released by the court.

A total of five of the firm's trucks were seized by police in Penrith, Cumbria, in October 2008.

The subsequent joint VOSA and Cumbria police investigation - dubbed Operation Cadillac - led to a search warrant being executed on the Boyle Transport offices in Camlough, Newry.

All the charges relate to alleged tachograph offences between November 2007 and October 2008.

At a hearing last year, 15 drivers from the company - with addresses in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland - pleaded guilty to falsifying their tacho records.

Patrick and Mark Boyle, as well as the drivers, have been granted bail, and sentencing is due to take place on April 27 and 28.

Boyle Transport, which was set up in 1973, has a fleet of more than 20 Scania tractor units and 30 trailers.