TWO French lorry drivers' disputes and a hijacking in Italy have forced a Bolton road haulage firm out of business, a court heard.

H M Commercials, of Lynstock Way, Lostock, came to the end of the road after profits plummeted following the second lorry drivers' strike in November.

A solicitor for Julian Minta, a director of the haulage firm, told Leigh magistrates of the mounting problems faced by the business in mitigation to charges of running unlicensed vehicles.

Michael Cunningham said the road haulage side of the business was forced into liquidation because of the French action.

He also described an incident in Milan when a driver was held at gunpoint, stripped naked, tied up and thrown out of his cab. The lorry and its load of designer shirts were worth millions of lira but insurers refused to pay out.

The firm, H M Commercials International Limited, was summoned for using unlicensed articulated lorries, but 11 summonses had to be dropped because the firm no longer existed.

Minta, aged 30, of Waterslea Drive, Heaton, pleaded guilty to 11 summonses of aiding and abetting, counselling or procuring the firm to use unlicensed articulated lorries.

John Stone, prosecuting, said back duty amounted to £6,500. The offences came to light in January when an unlicensed lorry was seen by a police officer at Astley, near Leigh.

Mr Cunningham said the lorries were only unlicensed for a short period and Minta apologised. He was fined £1,100 with £50 costs.

Afterwards, Mr Minta said the other aspects of H M Commercials, which include a motor trade operation, vehicle rental and recovery, were not affected by the collapse of the road haulage business.

He said: "The vehicles were unlicensed for a short period when the business was winding down." It was the second lorry drivers' strike which proved the last straw for the business, costing them more than £60,000 in lost profit.

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