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Boss lied after fatal accident
Page 14
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A firm falsified inspection sheets to protect itself after a collision in which a woman died. Chris Tindall reports THE OWNER OF A car transporter firm admitted falsifying inspection sheets following a fatal collision with a 78-year-old woman, so that his company records would look "in order", a court heard.
Paul Duckmanton agreed with police that Rotherham-based CarTrans had lost its integrity and he felt terrible about what he had done after the acciclent,in September 2002.
Winchester Crown Court was told that Duckmanton was questioned by officers after one of his drivers, 40-year-old Michael Roberts. mounted a kerb in Southampton and ran over Joyce McVey when his Scania's brakes failed. She was certified dead at the scene. Roberts admitted manslaughter but the prosecution says the responsibility was not his alone.
Roberts had been involved in another accident only two days earlier where he collided with a car. He told his boss the vehicle's brakes were defective, but a cursory inspection appeared to show no defects.
Duckmanton later returned to the police station and told officers that one of his fitters, Terence Gleadall, had asked him after the fatality whether an inspection sheet should be filled in "...because the Ministry would be coming".
Duckmanton said: "I asked Gleadall if he felt OK with doing that and he said he hadn't got a problem."
The court was also told Roberts had been involved in four out of the last six company incidents and had been disciplined in the past. Duckmanton described Robert's attitude as "bombastic".
Duckrnanton and Gleadall deny manslaughter.The trial continues.