A TRAFFIC commissioner has indefinitely banned a Rawdon truck firm proprietor from the industry, after hearing how an number of trucks proved to be defective.

A public inquiry last week heard how 15 prohibitions had been served by the vehicle inspectorate against trucks said to operated by Adrian Lee, owner of A Lee Transport, based at Apperley Lane, Rawdon.

One of the trucks - later discovered to have faulty brakes - was involved in a fatal road accident in Cross Green, Leeds. The truck turned on its side, and fell on a car, killing the woman driver.

Mr Lee, who claimed he had not operated trucks since December 1999, told the inquiry that he would produce financial statements to prove that he was no longer the operator of a number of trucks, which had shown maintenance defects when stopped by inspectors.

He claimed some of the trucks had been sold on, and others had been scrapped.

But Traffic Commissioner Tom Macartney, who presided over the hearing at Hillcrest House, Harehills, told Mr Lee he faced disqualification from the industry, or the loss of his operator's licence, if he did not produce satisfactory financial evidence that he had not been operating the trucks.

Mr Lee was given until 5pm on Wednesday last week (February 20) to produce the evidence, but no financial statements were received.

Mr Macartney made an order disqualifying Mr Lee from the industry.