Skip tycoon's son jailed for driving while banned

Apr 3 2007 By Pete Swingler, Birmingham Mail

THE lorry driver son of a boss of one of Birmingham's biggest skip hire firms, who ran off after police caught him driving a truck while disqualified, has been jailed.

Kevin Fox, 35, of Highters Heath Lane, Kings Heath, was jailed for 12 weeks by Solihull magistrates after admitting driving while disqualified, having no insurance and failing to use a tachograph record sheet. He was disqualified for a further two years.

Mike Mahoney, defending, said Fox was employed by his father, James Fox, who runs the Mercian Skip Hire firm.

He said Fox been a passenger but took the wheel it after a dispute with the initial driver, who had abandoned it.

With eight months of his driving ban still to serve, Fox went as a passenger with one of the firm's drivers in a truck on company business when a dispute developed.

The driver stopped the vehicle and abandoned it by walking off.

''The defendant made the wrong decision by deciding to drive the vehicle despite being disqualified,'' said Mr Mahoney.

"He ran off after the truck was stopped by police but was eventually caught and charged.''

Mr Mahoney urged the magistrates to give Fox another chance and impose a suspended prison sentence.