The Danish firm that faced the charges was a family-owned transportation business. It was alleged the company had used additional tachograph cards to break drivers’ hours rules on 700 occasions. Moreover, the company was accused of violating the penalty provision in the Penal Code and other relevant legislation in the area more than 200 times.
Back in February 2021, the haulier and his son were arrested after an investigation carried out by the local police. The arrests were followed by further investigations that resulted in charges against the haulier’s partner and an elderly family member.
The police and the prosecution believed that the haulage company’s drivers had systematically used tachograph cards belonging to others and thus broke the drivers’ hours regulations. Therefore, the prosecution said that the usual penalties generally imposed for such breaches are not sufficient, and that the court should increase the penalty by 50% for the haulier, his partner and son.
If this was not enough, an indictment was also filed for the provision of the Criminal Code on the possession of false identity documents. Normally, this kind of crime in Denmark is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for up to six months, but the prosecution called for a stricter punishment – imprisonment and a fine for the haulier and his son, with prison sentences for the haulier’s partner and elderly relative.
All defendants pleaded not guilty to the case. However, both the haulage boss and his son were found guilty of criminal activity.
According to TV2 Fyn, the owner of the haulage company was yesterday sentenced to two months in prison followed by six months of community service. In addition, he was fined 442,000 kroner, banned from driving HGVs for 2 years and banned from managing a haulage company for 3 years.
Meanwhile, the man’s son received a four months suspended sentence as well as community service, plus a fine of 67,000 kroner. Moreover, he was banned from driving HGVs for a year.