Lake deaths driver guilty

Courtney Barker did not have a driving licence

A man has been found guilty of the manslaughter of three small children who drowned when the car he was driving plunged into a lake.

Courtney Barker, 22, was at the wheel when the car fell into the Blue Lagoon lake in Arlesey in Bedfordshire.

Imran Khan, aged six, Aaron Khan, five, and Sharla Blair, three, died trapped in the back seat.

During the trial the court was told Barker, a forklift truck driver, did not have a driving licence and had never had a driving lesson.

Aaron and Imran Khan were trapped in the back

The judge, Mr Justice Wright, warned that Barker could expect "a substantial period of imprisonment".

The jury deliberated for six-and-a-half hours before returning the guilty verdicts.

Barker hung his head, and there were cries of anguish from relatives in the public gallery.

The children's mother, Claire Armstrong, has supported Barker, and told the court earlier how her children called him "daddy".

On 28 July 2001 Barker drove Ms Armstrong, another adult friend and the three children to the lake to swim and sunbathe.

'Showing off'

But the car plunged over the cliff, overturned and sank in about 30 feet of water.

The three adults escaped unhurt, but the children were trapped in the back seat and drowned.

The car was recovered from the lake

The jury had heard eyewitness and expert reports that Barker had driven across the field towards the lake holding the driver's door open with his right foot.

Joan Butler QC, prosecuting, said Barker had been "showing off" and "having fun", but things had gone "hideously wrong".

However, Barker said he had had the door open only for a matter of seconds, and had been using both feet to operate the pedals.

He claimed the accelerator pedal had jammed as he approached the cliff.

Onlookers said the car had flown over the cliff.

Tearful testimony

Mr Barker, Ms Armstrong and the adult friend had struggled to safety, but had not managed to rescue the children.

Eyewitnesses saw Barker immediately afterwards thumping the water and shouting "Oh God, please don't take my babies - they're my life".

He had lived with Ms Armstrong and her children for four years.

Both he and Ms Armstrong wept as they gave evidence to the court.

Mr Justice Wright described the tragedy as "traumatic beyond belief".

He remanded Barker in custody, and adjourned sentencing for three weeks for reports.

'Emotional time'

Speaking after the case, a spokesman for Bedfordshire Police said it had been a "very emotional time for the families, the police and everyone concerned".

Des Lawless said: "I have just spoken with Claire and other members of the family, and she is very upset."

But he said the case illustrated the tragedies that could happen when drivers broke the law.

"We believe Mr Barker had been driving on the road for about 18 months and it is worrying that somebody could be driving like that for that period of time without being caught."