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Lorry driver found guilty of causing crash that killed police officer Lorry driver found guilty over death of police officer in crash
(35 minutes later)
A lorry driver has been found guilty of causing a crash that killed a police officer after he looked at a text message. A lorry driver has been found guilty of looking at a text message while at the wheel and causing a crash that killed a police officer.
Danny Warby, 28, was driving a13.6-tonne light goods vehicle along the A141 in Cambridgeshire when it veered into oncoming traffic seconds after he looked at a message on his iPhone, Peterborough crown court heard. Danny Warby, 28, was driving the 13.6-tonne light goods vehicle along the A141 in Cambridgeshire when it veered into oncoming traffic, seconds after he looked at the message on his iPhone, Peterborough crown court heard.
He clipped an oncoming lorry and showered two more cars with debris before crashing into a Renault Clio driven by Cambridgeshire police officer Sharon Garrett, 48, who was on her way home from work. She was pronounced dead at the scene on 6 June 2014. He clipped a lorry and showered two cars with debris before crashing into a Renault Clio driven by Cambridgeshire police officer Sharon Garrett, 48.
In a statement, her family praised those who helped reach the verdict. “The whole family remains devastated by what happened in June 2014,” the statement said. “Sharon was a wonderful woman, a hard-working and dedicated police officer. She meant so much to so many. Sharon was a fantastic mother who has been taken from her two young children in such tragic circumstances. Nothing can ever bring Sharon back, and words can never express how much we all miss her.” Garrett, a mother of two, who was on her way home from work, was pronounced dead at the scene on 6 June 2014.
DC Garrett joined Cambridgeshire police in 1991 and served in a number of roles across the force, most recently investigating complex fraud offences in the economic crime unit. In a statement, her family praised those who helped reach the verdict. “The whole family remains devastated by what happened in June 2014,” they said. “Sharon was a wonderful woman, a hardworking and dedicated police officer.
Warby, of King’s Lynn, Norfolk, had denied a single count of causing death by dangerous driving but was convicted by unanimous verdict after a trial lasting nine days. He had opened a text message seconds before the crash and had no hands-free kit in his lorry, said prosecutor Helen Guest. “She meant so much to so many. Sharon was a fantastic mother who has been taken from her two young children in such tragic circumstances. Nothing can ever bring Sharon back, and words can never express how much we all miss her.”
After the verdict was delivered, Guest revealed Warby had previous convictions for drink-driving in 2011 and for using a mobile phone while driving, and driving without a seatbelt. DC Garrett joined Cambridgeshire constabulary in 1991 and served in a number of roles, most recently investigating complex fraud offences in the economic crime unit.
Judge Stuart Bridge said: “This is a very serious offence with hugely tragic consequences and an immediate custodial sentence is inevitable.” He remanded Warby in custody until sentencing on 12 September, at a venue to be fixed. Warby, of King’s Lynn in Norfolk, had denied a single count of causing death by dangerous driving, but was convicted by a unanimous verdict after a nine-day trial.
The fatal crash happened close to RAF Wyton, near Huntingdon. Warby had completed several short journeys that day in the lorry, which was carrying a crane and construction materials. The final journey, which ended in the crash, was less than one-and-a-half miles. He had no hands-free kit in his vehicle at the time of the crash, said Helen Guest, prosecuting.
PC Pete Bimson, who investigated the crash, said: “This was a tragic incident which claimed the life of a police officer. But the evidence heard in court showed it could have been avoided and it really drives home the message that using a mobile phone at the wheel can have fatal consequences.” After the verdict was delivered, she revealed that Warby had previous convictions for drink-driving in 2011, and for using a mobile phone while driving and driving without a seatbelt.
Warby had been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea in late 2015 and his defence lawyers argued that he had experienced a micro-sleep just before the crash. Judge Stuart Bridge said: “This is a very serious offence with hugely tragic consequences and an immediate custodial sentence is inevitable.”
He remanded Warby in custody until sentencing on 12 September at a venue to be determined. As Warby was led to the cells, there was a shout from the public gallery of “Danny, keep your chin up. I love you, boy”.
The fatal crash happened close to RAF Wyton, near Huntingdon.
Warby had completed several short trips that day in the lorry, which was carrying a crane and construction materials. The final journey that ended in the crash was less than 1.5 miles (2.4km).
PC Pete Bimson, who investigated the crash, said: “This was a tragic incident which claimed the life of a police officer. But the evidence heard in court showed it could have been avoided, and it really drives home the message that using a mobile phone at the wheel can have fatal consequences.”
Warby had been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnoea, which can lead to regularly interrupted sleep, in late 2015, and his defence lawyers argued that he had experienced microsleep just before the crash.