Cumbrian haulage firm staff sentenced for tachograph fraud

The director, manager and six drivers at a Cumbrian haulage firm have been jailed for a combined total of seven years for falsifying tachograph records.

William Ross was director of Ross International and Ross International Haulage Ltd which were based in Wigton, Cumbria and Bellshill near Glasgow.

He was jailed for two years for running companies where staff drove for longer and with fewer breaks than the law requires.

Carlisle Crown Court heard Ross's "right-hand man" was Robert Robertson.

He was jailed for 18 months. Six drivers received sentences ranging from six to eight months while nine others received suspended sentences.

All the defendants were disqualified from driving. Sergeant Graeme Hodgson told ITV Border the punishment reflected the "nature of the offences".