A haulier, who was jailed after using a device to breach drivers' hours regulations, has been told by Scotland's Traffic Commissioner that he will be disqualified for life from the haulage industry.

Joan Aitken told George Davidson, 59, that he would also be disqualified from driving HGVs and could not re-apply for his professional licence until his 75th birthday.

During a public inquiry on 18 July, 2013 Miss Aitken heard evidence from a Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) traffic examiner, who stopped Mr Davidson on 28 June, 2012 in Cumbria.

The VOSA officer told the Traffic Commissioner that an examination of Mr Davidson's tachograph records, which record driving duty, revealed 69 instances where the records had been falsified. He also noted that Mr Davidson had breached drivers' hours regulations, including failing to take legal breaks, daily and weekly rest offences and excess driving time.  Mr Davidson's vehicle was subsequently taken to a tachograph centre where it was examined. This revealed the vehicle had been fitted with a device that allowed the tachograph record to be interrupted which would effectively manipulate the record.