Haulier is given suspended prison sentence

Richard Samuel Dewart, 44, owner of Dewart Transport, 40 Moss Road, Waringstown, Craigavon was convicted of forgery and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for three years, at Craigavon Crown Court on Monday.

On 26 February 2011, the PSNI conducted a joint enforcement operation with the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA) that included the examination of vehicles owned by Dewart Transport.

Following the execution of a PSNI Warrant to enter/search several of the hauliers’ vehicles, a number were seized on grounds that tachograph interrupter devices had been installed therein and which had the capability of disabling the tachograph and speed limiter if activated. In addition, numerous tachograph records and various documents were also seized.

Detailed examination of the documentation and tachograph records was undertaken by DVA Enforcement Officers as was other data pertaining to the movements of the vehicles.

Further analysis of this identified where rest periods had been recorded by the tachograph recording equipment, yet other evidence showed the continued movement of the vehicles.

In these instances it was proven that an interrupter device had been activated to enable the driver to continue driving by simulating that the vehicle was stationary and, as a result, false tachograph records were created.