Lorry death driver sentenced

Nicholas Hall was killed instantly

A lorry driver who fell asleep at the wheel and killed a man months after being involved in three other crashes has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Ian Lawrence's HGV ploughed into a stationary maintenance lorry driven by Nicholas Hall, crushing the father-of-two between the cab and the trailer, Swindon Crown Court heard.

Lawrence, 60, of Wonford, Exeter, had pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and driving without due care and attention at an earlier hearing.

Jailing Lawrence and banning him from driving for five years, Judge John McNaught said: "What you did was a terrible thing, to drive when you were unfit because you were tired."

The crash happened in June 2002

Speaking outside court, Mr Hall's widow Monica said their children Freddie, six, and George, four, would "grow up never knowing their father".

She added tearfully: "The punishment that Mr Lawrence has received today will never be enough."

Lawrence will be released after serving half his sentence, the judge said.

The collision happened as Lawrence drove his 17-tonne lorry along the A350 at Upton Scudamore, near Warminster, Wiltshire, on 23 July 2002.

No avoiding action

Mr Hall, 47, from Marlborough, was killed instantly. His vehicle had its hazard lights on.

In mitigation, Simon Morgan said Lawrence, who has two grown-up children, had to care for his disabled wife and had given up his £350-a-week driving job for a £200-a-week job in a chicken factory.

The earlier hearing was told Lawrence's tachograph showed he had not braked or taken any avoiding action before the crash.

An accident investigator said he would have been able to see Mr Hall's hazard lights for up to 40 seconds.