A 62-year-old HGV driver who ploughed into two helpless workmates on the hardshoulder of the M6 motorway at Sandbach has been found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.
At Chester Crown Court today (Friday, January 13) Malcolm Simpson, of Selby, North Yorkshire, was convicted of causing the deaths of Philip Cawley, 39, from Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, and Thomas Southward, 69, from Haydock, on the northbound carriageway near Sandbach Services just after 11am on September 9, 2010.
Mr Southward had stopped his vehicle five minutes after Mr Cawley to help him change a tyre. Their multiple injuries were so severe they were not discussed in court out of respect for their families.
During the trial the jury was shown footage of the moment Simpson – who denied falling asleep at the wheel – swerved into the hard shoulder from lane one, then into the middle lane before fatally ‘drifting’ back into the hard shoulder and colliding with Mr Cawley and Mr Southward.
The jury of six men and six women took three and a half hours to find Simpson – who also denied the alternative double charge of causing death by careless driving – guilty.
Simpson, who had cut a forlorn figure keeping his head down throughout the four-day trial, showed no emotion as the jury foreman returned the guilty verdict just after noon.
He is due to be sentenced by the Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgin Edwards, at 2pm today.
Visit www.crewechronicle.co.uk later today for updates.
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