Manslaughter charge
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by Karen Miles • The Sowerby Bridge disaster is about to become the first case where a manslaughter charge is brought against a truck operator involved in a road accident.
The Crown Prosecution Service has advised West Yorkshire police that it can bring manslaughter charges against the former transport manager of Fewston Transport.
The Skipton firm's truck lost control on a hill in Sowerby Bridge, Yorkshire, killing six people including the vehicle's driver.
The charge will be brought against Eric Preston, who was Fewston Transport's transport manager at the time of the accident—three years ago last week.
Fewston was fined £5,000 for using a vehicle with defective brakes and in December 1995 its 0licence was revoked.
"This case is a clear signal that transport managers must recognise that they can now be made strictly accountable for their actions," says Bob Cross, northern regional director at the Freight Transport Association. "The campaigners are pushing for this more and more."
Solicitor Stephen Kirkbright, who will represent Preston, believes Sower-by will he followed by other similar actions: "This is probably the first of many," he warns.
The move follows a change of heart by the CPS prompted by an appeal court judge's suggestion that its decision not to bring manslaughter charges against the company should be reviewed.
— Last week the first trial of corporate manslaughter against a haulier began at Bradford crown court with Jackson Transport (Ossett) pleading not guilty.
It follows the death of James Hodgson, who was overcome by a toxic chemical as he cleaned one of the firms' tankers. That trial is expected to continue for several days.