An experienced lorry driver who dozed at the wheel

An experienced lorry driver who dozed at the wheel crashed across three lanes of oncoming traffic killing a motorist and his pal, the Old Bailey heard today.

Christopher Gillett, 48, had worked long and tiring hours when he careered through the central reservation barriers hitting three vehicles.

The lifeless bodies of Victor Rodwell, 50, and his passenger Kelly Tarrant, 24, were found hanging out the windows of their Daf van following the collision back in October 1999 and died almost instantly.

The court heard that Gillett had worked almost 24 hours with a seven hour break in-between and was driving his dairy truck on an unfamiliar road.

A relief driver for Dairy Crest, he was travelling west along the North Circular Road at Colney Hatch Lane, Barnet, north London, at around 10.

45pm on October 19, 1999, jurors heard.

That evening, the road was busy but ‘free flowing’ as football supporters drove home following a clash between Arsenal and Barcelona at Wembley Stadium, said prosecutor Mr John Hillen.

‘He came crashing through the metal barriers and drove across the carriageway,’ he said.

‘There was no warning – there was nothing motorists could have done to avoid the inevitable collision with this huge vehicle.

‘The defendant lost concentration and became inattentive.

The Crown say there is a strong case that he must have fallen asleep at the steering wheel.

‘

He struck a Vauxhall Frontera which span 180 degrees but both the driver and his passenger survived, the court heard.

Then he struck the white Daf van driven by Mr Rodwell which also spun around coming to rest at the kerb.

‘Both Mr Rodwell and his passenger Miss Tarrant were found hanging from their windows with no trace of life,’ said Mr Hillen.

Finally he struck a Nissan Bluebird which was heading along the sliproad – the driver and his three passengers were not seriously injured, jurors heard.

Mr Hillen told the jury that Gillett had driven 328 kilometres that day after starting work at 2pm.

‘He had been working very hard for the last two weeks and must have been very tired.

‘The road conditions were good, viability was good.

The defendant’s lorry was seen to swerve to the right, going through the metal barrier and across all three lanes.

‘

Gillett, of Eversden Road, Harlton, Cambridgeshire, denies causing death by dangerous driving.

The single charge reflects the deaths of both men.

Gillett qualified as a driver in 1984.

The trial continues.

ends

addmilk.