Driver jailed over two M20 deaths

Johnny Vos said he was distracted by his laptop

A "daydreaming" lorry driver who caused two women's deaths has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.

Johnny Vos, 47, of Holland, was found guilty of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving on Monday after a six-day trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

Two lorries, a car and a horsebox were involved in the crash on the M20 near Ashford, Kent, on 21 December 2006.

Hazel Croucher, 48, and Kerry Sharpe, 47, both of Folkestone died after his truck hit the back of their car.

The two probation officers were returning home from a colleague's leaving party when the accident happened near junction nine.

We just hope that this might act as a deterrent to other drivers Harry Lester, victim's father

Vos, who admitted during the trial that he had been daydreaming and distracted by his laptop, did not realise that vehicles ahead of him were slowing down.

As he sentenced Vos, Mr Justice David Bean said: "You had half a mile in which to slow down and anticipate that you had to stop.

"Instead, you did not react until almost the last minute and you ploughed into the back of their VW Golf, pushing it under a horse box."

During the trial the jury heard that Vos, who is diabetic, showed no evidence of sleep deprivation or illness after his arrest.

But the judge said he believed the Ministry of Transport should re-consider laws which let insulin dependent foreign nationals drive heavy goods vehicles in the UK, unlike British citizens.

Kerry Sharpe had two grown up children

In mitigation, Esther Schutzer-Weissman said that Vos previously had an "exemplary" 20-year driving record.

As he left the dock, Vos said, "I'm sorry" to Ms Sharpe's family in the public gallery.

Speaking outside the court, Harry Lester paid tribute to his daughter Ms Sharpe, a single mother to two children in their 20s.

Mr Lester said: "We are just happy he has been found guilty, the length of the sentence is unimportant to us.

"We just hope that this might act as a deterrent to other drivers."

Vos, of Axel, Zeeuws-Vlaanderen, Holland, was also banned from driving for three years.