Bosses in court for double death

Two haulage firm bosses have appeared in court charged with manslaughter after two men died when one of the drivers fell asleep at the wheel.

The head-on collision between lorries driven by Mark Chadbourne, 47, and Anthony Best, 62, killed both men.

Winchester Crown Court was told it was the fault of Mr Chadbourne's bosses Raymond Knapman and Robert Legg.

Mr Knapman and Mr Legg from R&B Drivers in Plymouth, both deny manslaughter by gross negligence. The trial continues.

Michael Parroy QC, prosecuting told the court the pair supplied agency drivers for firms.

However they forced Mr Chadbourne and others to work beyond their legal hours of driving to make money for the firm by threatening not to give them more work.

Mr Parroy told the jury that when the accident occurred on 6 December 2003, on the A303 near West Knoyle, in Wiltshire, Mr Chadbourne, from Plymouth, had been driving for 33 hours with only seven hours and 50 minutes away from the wheel.

The early-hours collision was in no way the fault of Mr Best, from Bristol, who was driving lawfully, the court heard.

"It's the Crown's case that this accident occurred and these two men died because of the grossly reckless and negligent behaviour of the owners of R&B Drivers," Mr Parroy said.

Erratic driving

Mr Parroy told the jury that Mr Chadbourne's driving was erratic in the miles before he crossed over into the path of Mr Best's lorry and that the tachograph reading from his lorry showed at one point he was driving at only 18mph.

Mr Parroy said that Mr Knapman and Mr Legg had a direct incentive to make sure their drivers did as many hours on the road as possible because that maximised the company's profits.

The court was told that Mr Chadbourne was receiving chemotherapy for cancer, had heart disease and was anxious to work longer hours because he had money problems.

Mr Knapman, 46, from Paignton, and Mr Legg, 53, from Ivybridge, also deny conspiracy to obtain property by deception.

The pair also deny two charges under the Health and Safety Act of failing to ensure the safety of Mr Chadbourne and Mr Best.