12-12-08 Lorry driver found guilty of assaulting traffic examiner
A Lithuanian lorry driver has been given a one month prison sentence for assaulting a Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) traffic examiner as he was carrying out road safety checks on heavy goods vehicles.
The incident happened at VOSA’s check-site on the A55 near Holyhead Port in North Wales last Thursday (December 4).
The driver appeared at Holyhead Magistrates Court on Monday (December 8) and pleaded guilty to assault. He was also given a one month prison sentence for failing to produce records and banned from driving in the UK for 12 months.
The assault happened after the VOSA examiner climbed into the cab of the lorry which was delivering flat-pack furniture to Ireland. He asked to inspect the tachograph charts to make sure the driver had taken enough breaks and noticed that the tachograph equipment, which records the drivers hours, had been tampered with. He also saw that the speed limiter device, which restricts the maximum speed of the lorry to its legal limit, was not working. At this point the driver became aggressive and eventually the police were called.
The VOSA examiner escaped without suffering any serious injuries.
Alex Fiddes, VOSA’s Chief Operating Officer said:
“Fortunately the examiner was not seriously hurt, but it could have been a lot worse. I hope the prison sentence given to this driver is a clear message to all drivers and operators. VOSA will not hesitate to use the full weight of the law to deal with people who are uncooperative and assault our staff. I expect all our staff to be dealt with courteously - they are making roads safer for everyone.”
For media enquiries about VOSA, please contact: Luke Bigwood on 0117 954 3208 or Zita Easton on 0117 954 2561. You can also e-mail press@vosa.gov.uk
Page last updated: 12/12/2008