Driver denies causing death of family

The court heard the lorry rode over the family's car

A court has heard allegations a diabetic man fell ill at the wheel of his lorry before an accident in which three family members died.

John Davies, 66, of Fernhill, Mountain Ash, mid Glamorgan, denies dangerous driving and causing the deaths of Tony Orme, aged 24, his 19-year-old girlfriend Emma Cooper, and their baby Sally Cherise Orme.

Shrewsbury Crown Court heard the family from Whitchurch, Shropshire, died as a result of an accident on the A41 near Market Drayton on 5 May, 1999.

Mr Orme was on the correct side of the road

Nicholas Webb, crown prosecutor

Nicholas Webb, prosecuting, said Mr Davies was driving an Iveco 400 lorry away from Wolverhampton at just before 1300GMT.

The lorry crossed the A41 and collided with the front side of a blue Land Rover Discovery and went on to hit a Skoda driven by Mr Orme.

Mr Webb said the lorry hit the car head on and pushed it back down the road.

"Mr Orme was on the correct side of the road," he said.

Mr Webb said Davies was a diabetic and claimed that as a result of his illness he was not aware of what he was doing at the time of the collision.

The court heard that Mr Webb add that Davies had not taken his tablet for the condition the night before the accident and not eaten a proper breakfast as recommended.

Mr Webb said Davies had not stopped when he first started to feel ill.

The trial continues.