An investigation into tachograph fiddling at Northern Irish operator Landmark Haulage has led to two of its directors being disqualified from holding a company directorship for 11 years.
Craigavon Magistrates' Court was told how in November 2009 officers from the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) supported by the police, conducted a targeted operation against the company, based in Portadown, Co Armagh.
The operation found 12 vehicles operated by the company with devices capable of interrupting the signals to the tachograph recording equipment.
Subsequent analysis of the company’s records revealed that between October 2009 and November 2009 more than 40,000 kilometres had not been properly accounted for.
The court ordered that the company directors of Landmark Haulage at the time of the investigation - Mark and Lorraine Somerville - be disqualified from holding a company directorship for 11 years, under the Company Directors Disqualification (NI) Order 2002.
Landmark Haulage was charged with breaches of the Passenger and Goods Vehicles (Recording Equipment) Regulations (NI) 1996, and fined a total of £8,700.
A total of eight drivers employed by the company at the time of the investigation had been dealt with by an earlier court and received combined fines totalling £2,900 for tachograph and drivers hours offences.
