Truckies front court over alleged dodgy practices including submitting false work logs, faulty brakes

Faulty brakes, missing bolts, unsecured loads and falsified logbooks are just some of the alleged breaches that five long haul truckies faced in one court session.

The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator has taken court action against six truckies Picture: File.

A Salisbury truck driver whose vehicle allegedly spewed rubbish into the path of oncoming traffic on the Salisbury Highway will be one of five to face court next month.

The group, from South Australia and interstate, is facing charges from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator including entering false or misleading information into work logs and driving with faulty brakes.

Brenton Godrey Thomas Cowan 57, of Salisbury appeared in court by telephone on November 27.

The regulator alleges Cowan, on January 9 this year on the Salisbury Highway at Parafield Gardens, drove a heavy vehicle containing several skip bins which did not comply with loading requirements and was a “severe risk breach”, a charge sheet lodged with the court reads.

Contents from the bins, including debris, general rubbish and cardboard, was not properly secured and was failing out onto the road and into traffic behind the heavy vehicle as it drove along the road, the sheet reads.

The group faces charges from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator.

Meanwhile, Jason Smart, 42, of Serpentine was fined $10,000 in the Elizabeth Magistrates Court in his absence on November 27 for seven times stating he was resting when he was actually driving, between February 4 and March 4 last year.

However, Magistrate Briony Kennewell said she was prepared to reduce the fines – which had a maximum penalty of $11,390 per count – as the charges were over a “relatively short period of time”.

The regulator also alleges Dale Adam Bayre, 45, of White Hills, on or about November 8 last year, reported he was resting at Barmera from 12.45pm to 2pm but was detected at Willaston South at 1.37pm, some 178 kilometres away.

Five truckies will front the Elizabeth Magistrates Court in January over a raft of charges, including reporting misleading or false information in work diaries. Picture: File.

It is also alleged Mark John Barnden, 54, of Wingfield drove a vehicle on April 11 last year in the Nuriootpa area with brakes that were not working and with a bolt missing.

He also allegedly recorded he had worked for 15 hours in a 24-hour period, from July 24 last year, which was a “substantial risk breach”, the sheet reads.

The regulator also alleges Nathan John Smyth, 33, of Bauple in Queensland, on June 5 last year reported he was resting at Blanchetown between 5.15am and 12.45pm, but his vehicle was detected at Globe Derby at 10.11am on the same day, some 124 kilometres away.

It is alleged Peter John Catlin, 56, of Burleigh Waters in Queensland, reported he was resting at Yamba on February 6 and 7 last year, when he was detected working at Willaston and then at Globe Derby Park, some 260 kilometres away.

Smyth, Barnden, Bayre, Cowan and Catlin will next appear on January 22.