Crash lorry driver fails to appear in court…because he’s at Butlins

A lorry driver accused of causing a major crash has failed to appear at a plea hearing, with the court told he was instead on holiday at Butlins in Skegness. Daniel Jackson, 32, was at the wheel of a Mercedes-Benz gas tanker carrying propane gas when it was involved in a serious collision with a family car and hit another HGV. The incident happened on the A134 at Northwold, between Mundford and Stoke Ferry, on October 14 last year.

Norwich Magistrates' Court[1] was told it was alleged he had not been paying proper attention when his lorry hit a car containing a mother and her children, before swerving to collide with another lorry. ADVERTISEMENT The road was closed for eight hours following the crash.

Jackson, of Keelby near Grimsby, in Lincolnshire, is accused of causing serious injury by careless driving.

But he failed to appear at a plea hearing and the court was told he was on holiday.

Magistrates adjourned it until July 9 and ordered that he must appear, stating that Jackson's absence and lack of legal representation "showed a lack of respect to the court".

References

1. ^ Norwich Magistrates' Court (www.edp24.co.uk)