Trucker, Andrew Michael Williams, aged 51, from Flint’s Northop Road, faced consequences for crashing into a level crossing barrier in a Shropshire village. The incident occurred on March 10 last year, when Williams went through flashing red lights on the A49 at Onibury. Despite denying the charge of dangerous driving, he was convicted in absentia at a hearing in Shrewsbury Crown Court the previous month.
During his sentencing hearing at Telford Magistrates Court, prosecutor Lisa Morris-Jones informed the magistrates that Williams approached the crossing from the Craven Arms side at approximately 11:20 am on that day. The signaller on duty witnessed Williams’ HGV and red trailer approaching the crossing “at speed” even though the crossing lights had been flashing red for seven seconds.
Williams’ HGV struck the crossing barrier causing damage, but he made no attempt to stop, despite the busy stretch of road. His actions were deemed deliberate and highly dangerous, as he failed to brake and drove at an excessive speed. During questioning after his arrest, Williams claimed to be new to HGV driving and stated that he had never encountered a level crossing before, whether in his lorry or any other vehicle.
The court learned that Williams had a history of 20 previous convictions for 49 offenses, with only one related to driving – driving without insurance in 2014.
David Silcock, the chair of the magistrates bench, highlighted the severity of Williams’ actions given the size of his vehicle, which could have resulted in catastrophic consequences. As a result, Williams was banned from driving for three years and was ordered to retake his driving test. Fortunately, the 51-year-old was not sent to jail, as the magistrates imposed a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
Silcock emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating that the size of Williams’ vehicle had put people’s lives on the train at risk. The sentence also included 120 hours of unpaid work and costs amounting to £774.
