M6 Crash Lorry Driver Jailed For Three Years
4:48pm UK, Monday February 16, 2009
Relatives of a family of six who died in a crash on the M6 have criticised the three-year sentence handed down to the Portuguese lorry driver who caused their deaths.
Paulo Jorge Nogueira da Silva killed the Statham family, of Llandudno, when his 40-ton Daf lorry ploughed into their car and pushed it under a Volvo lorry.
David and Michelle Statham died instantly along with their sons Reece, 13, Jay, nine, and Mason, 20 months, and 10-week-old baby daughter Ellouise.
They were returning home after visiting relatives in Birmingham when their people carrier was involved in the pile-up near Sandbach, Cheshire, on October 20 last year.
After sentencing, Mrs Statham's father criticised the court for convicting da Silva of careless driving rather than more serious dangerous driving charges.
"From the night of the accident when Mr da Silva butchered our family it was not possible for us to get justice in a British court," Peter Hagans said.
"In our opinion what we sat through this week was no more than a circus, the only difference being the man in charge of a circus wears a top hat not a wig."
Da Silva, 46, of Murcia, in Spain, was convicted at Chester Crown Court of six counts of causing death by careless driving.
Trial judge Mr Justice Irwin jailed him for three years on each count, to run concurrently, and told him he would serve 18 months in custody before being allowed out on licence.
He added: "This was one of the most serious offences of its kind."
Da Silva had failed to pay proper attention to the road for around a minute before hitting the Stathams' car, chief crown prosecutor Ian Rushton said.
Cheshire Police said he was using a laptop in the cab of his vehicle, possibly to plan his route.
The evidence showed that the Stathams' car was crushed between a large lorry, which had been queuing in a long tailback due to an earlier accident, and da Silva's lorry.
"Da Silva admitted in court that he had seen the electronic signs warning that the M6 was closed ahead and that queues were likely," Mr Rushton said.
"He said that he reduced his speed but could not explain how the collision happened."
Da Silva was also disqualified from driving for three years.
4:48pm UK, Monday February 16, 2009
Relatives of a family of six who died in a crash on the M6 have criticised the three-year sentence handed down to the Portuguese lorry driver who caused their deaths.
Paulo Jorge Nogueira da Silva killed the Statham family, of Llandudno, when his 40-ton Daf lorry ploughed into their car and pushed it under a Volvo lorry.
David and Michelle Statham died instantly along with their sons Reece, 13, Jay, nine, and Mason, 20 months, and 10-week-old baby daughter Ellouise.
They were returning home after visiting relatives in Birmingham when their people carrier was involved in the pile-up near Sandbach, Cheshire, on October 20 last year.
After sentencing, Mrs Statham's father criticised the court for convicting da Silva of careless driving rather than more serious dangerous driving charges.
"From the night of the accident when Mr da Silva butchered our family it was not possible for us to get justice in a British court," Peter Hagans said.
"In our opinion what we sat through this week was no more than a circus, the only difference being the man in charge of a circus wears a top hat not a wig."
Da Silva, 46, of Murcia, in Spain, was convicted at Chester Crown Court of six counts of causing death by careless driving.
Trial judge Mr Justice Irwin jailed him for three years on each count, to run concurrently, and told him he would serve 18 months in custody before being allowed out on licence.
He added: "This was one of the most serious offences of its kind."
Da Silva had failed to pay proper attention to the road for around a minute before hitting the Stathams' car, chief crown prosecutor Ian Rushton said.
Cheshire Police said he was using a laptop in the cab of his vehicle, possibly to plan his route.
The evidence showed that the Stathams' car was crushed between a large lorry, which had been queuing in a long tailback due to an earlier accident, and da Silva's lorry.
"Da Silva admitted in court that he had seen the electronic signs warning that the M6 was closed ahead and that queues were likely," Mr Rushton said.
"He said that he reduced his speed but could not explain how the collision happened."
Da Silva was also disqualified from driving for three years.
