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Precedent
Page 29
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Called to account December 2004: Kent haulier Melvyn Spree was jailed for seven years after he encouraged drivers to break the hours rules, leading to a fatal accident when driver Stephen Law fell asleep at the wheel, killing himself and two motorists. Spree's fellow director, Lorraine March, was jailed for 16 months for conspiracy to falsify driving records. Company secretary Claire Miller was given 160 hours community service for the same offence (CM 9 December).
April 2003: Victor Coates was sentenced to four years for causing death by dangerous driving. Coates had worked for 20 hours without a break, causing him to fall asleep at the wheel and plough into a car, killing its driver, Lee Fitt. His employer Martin Graves owner of Felixstowe-based MJ Graves International was also sentenced to four years in jail after the jury decided he had encouraged Coates to break the drivers' hours rules through the use of a bonus scheme that rewarded drivers for working longer hours (CM 10 April 2003).
November 1999; Brother and sister Stephen and Julie Bowles from Berkshire-based air freight company Roy Bowles Transport were convicted of manslaughter for turning a blind eye to widespread breaches of the law after one of the company's drivers, Andrew Cox, fell asleep at the wheel of his vehicle and smashed it into a skip lorry, causing two deaths. Stephen Bowles was given a 15-month sentence, while Julie Bowles was handed a 12-month sentence, although both were suspended for two years (CM 12 April 2001).