A HGV driver has been fined after his vehicle was found to be fitted with a tachograph falsely bearing his brother’s name.
At Carlisle magistrates’ court today, 49-year-old Barnaby Bowman admitted making a false entry on a tachograph recording sheet.
Prosecutor Andrew Stewardson gave details of a straightforward matter which came to light as the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency stopped the HGV driven by Bowman at Todhills, north of Carlisle, on July 22.
The offence involved old-style analogue tachograph recording equipment in the vehicle, and in particular a circular piece of waxy paper on which important details were logged. These included the driver’s name, dates, and the start and finishing times.
“The issue in this particular case is incredibly straightforward,” said Mr Stewardson. “Barnaby Bowman was the driver of that vehicle but the tachograph chart inserted into the recording equipment was in the name of George Bowman, which is his brother.”
This made the record false. “He admitted his brother was due to be the driver that day. That’s why the chart had been filled in. He hadn’t changed it to his own name,” said Mr Stewardson.
The court heard of no previous convictions, and magistrates were told their powers of sentence were limited to a fine.
In his defence, Bowman, of Castle Carrock, near Brampton, spoke of suffering from anxiety and personal issues at the time.
“I know it’s no excuse for breaking the law. It gives you some idea of my frame of mind at the time,” said Bowman. “It’s something I regret and would like to put behind me.”
Bowman was handed a £333 fine for the offence, and ordered to pay both a £34 mandatory surcharge and a contribution towards the prosecution costs in the sum of £500.”
