Truck driver hadn’t realised he’d gone over level crossing while …

Onibury level crossing

Stephen Montagu, aged 67, of Dawson Gardens, in Sefton, on Merseyside, told magistrates he had not realised that he had gone over the level crossing and through red lights in his white DAF truck at Onibury on December 9, 2022.

The former DHL driver also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of failing to stop at a red light at a crossing.

Shahidur Rahman, prosecuting, told Telford Magistrates Court on Friday that the operator of the signal box had started to lower the level crossing barriers.

"He had to stop the closure to avoid the barriers hitting the truck," he said.

Montagu said he had only been aware that he had committed the offences when he had asked for and received evidence from the Crown Prosecution Service.

He told the court that he had recently retired from delivery firm DHL but was applying for a job with the Royal Mail and that was dependent on the number of points on his licence.

"It was a complete error of judgement," he said. "I have had no accidents or damage in my driving history."

The court was told that at the time of the offence he had six points on his licence for speeding. But those had since elapsed.

Carol Scott, presiding justice, speaking on behalf of the bench of three magistrates, slapped five points on Montagu's licence and warned him that he had been one point away from a ban.

"With 12 points you would have lost your licence," she said.

"You must drive very carefully from now on. Be careful of whatever your points are and drive carefully.

"Do not get caught out with anything else," she said.

The magistrates also handed Montagu a reduced fine of £108 because his only income is the state pension, and ordered him to pay a £43 victims surcharge, and prosecution costs of £300 because Montagu had not pleaded guilty at an earlier stage.

For the offence of failing to comply with a red light he was handed no separate penalty.

Montagu was told that he would be able to arrange monthly instalments to pay off the £451 that he owes the Crown.