Court hears Fewston evidence
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• Eric Preston, the first transport manager to be accused of manslaughter, passed a lorry fit for the road just five days before it careered out of control, killing six people, jurors were told last week.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that alleged gross negligence by Preston resulted in the deaths after the brakes failed on Fewston Transport's 30-tonne gravel-laden tipper as it drove down a 1-in-10 hill.
Prosecuting, Paul Worsley said the brakes on all four axles were defective. On the second axle particularly, rust discolouration on the drums indicated that there had been very little recent contact between the brakes and drums, one of the brake linings was worn down to the rivets and a cam was defective. No braking was possible on this assembly, said Worsley. However, the lorry had been checked by Preston on 1 September 1993, five days before the accident. Its tax disc was a few days out of date, and its annual test was due. Faults were also found on other vehicles in the fleet.
Worsley told the court: "Six lives were lost due to the gross negligence of Eric Preston. As the company's transport manager, it was up to him to see that the vehicle was serviced every 28 days or 5,000km. "But at the time of the accident it was 61 days and 15,000km since the vehicle's last service."
The hearing continued as CM went to press. A court official says: "The jury is due to go out some time at the end of the week."