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Driver of school bus stranded in York flood water jailed for a year Driver of school bus stranded in York flood water jailed for a year
(35 minutes later)
A school bus driver, who drove past two road closed signs before stranding his vehicle in flood water with 23 children onboard, has been jailed for a year.A school bus driver, who drove past two road closed signs before stranding his vehicle in flood water with 23 children onboard, has been jailed for a year.
A jury at York crown court heard that former soldier Graham Jones, 43, ignored evidence of flooding during last winter’s Storm Frank and drove his bus into thigh-deep water near the village of Newton-on-Ouse, near York. A jury at York crown court heard that the former soldier Graham Jones, 43, ignored evidence of flooding during Storm Frank last winter and drove his bus into thigh-deep water near the village of Newton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire.
Flood rescue officers had to break a back window to rescue the children, aged between 11 and 18, who were lifted from the partially submerged Stephensons school bus on to another vehicle. The pupils from Easingwold school in North Yorkshire were given hot food, drinks and dry clothes and counselling was offered. Flood rescue officers had to break a back window to rescue the children, aged between 11 and 18, who were lifted from the partially submerged Stephensons school bus on to another vehicle. The pupils from Easingwold school in North Yorkshire were given hot food, drinks and dry clothes, and counselling was offered.
Jones admitted driving carelessly but pleaded not guilty to the charge of dangerous driving. The jury took one hour to reach a guilty verdict and the judge, Paul Batty QC, sentenced him to 12 months in prison and banned him from driving. Jones admitted driving carelessly, but pleaded not guilty to the charge of dangerous driving. The jury took one hour to reach a guilty verdict and the judge, Paul Batty QC, sentenced him to 12 months in prison and banned him from driving.
Sentencing Jones, Batty said: “Having managed to get through the first extensive area of flooded road, you then came upon the second, much more extensive area of flooded road.Sentencing Jones, Batty said: “Having managed to get through the first extensive area of flooded road, you then came upon the second, much more extensive area of flooded road.
“It was basically an expanse of water as far as the eye could see. There was absolutely no indication whatsoever of the depth of the water. Notwithstanding that, you took the decision – goodness knows why – to drive through it. Of course, the inevitable happened.” “It was basically an expanse of water as far as the eye could see. There was absolutely no indication whatsoever of the depth of the water.
“Notwithstanding that, you took the decision – goodness knows why – to drive through it. Of course, the inevitable happened.”
Batty said Jones had shown no appreciation of the danger he put the children in and “the potentially devastating consequences that could have occurred” due to his “dangerous, reckless act”.Batty said Jones had shown no appreciation of the danger he put the children in and “the potentially devastating consequences that could have occurred” due to his “dangerous, reckless act”.
“This was an extremely bad case of dangerous driving. The consequences that could have followed simply do not bear thinking about,” he said.“This was an extremely bad case of dangerous driving. The consequences that could have followed simply do not bear thinking about,” he said.
The court heard that Jones had diverted the bus from its usual route when he was told to pick up a child at an isolated farmhouse because a closed bridge meant the usual bus could not reach him. Jones told the court that he had made a “genuine mistake”. The court heard that Jones had diverted the bus from its normal route when he was told to pick up a child at an isolated farmhouse, because a closed bridge meant the usual bus could not reach him. Jones told the court that he had made a “genuine mistake”.
The village of Newton-on-Ouse, which is about 10 miles north-west of York city centre, was one of the areas of North Yorkshire worst hit by Storm Frank, which caused the river Ouse to rise dramatically. Newton-on-Ouse, which is about 10 miles north-west of York city centre, was one of the areas of North Yorkshire worst hit by Storm Frank, which caused the river Ouse to rise dramatically.
Storm Frank was the sixth named storm of last winter and brought gales to western parts of the UK, with gusts as high as 85mph in north-west Scotland. The storm resulted in yet more flooding in parts of the north of England. Storm Frank was the sixth named storm of last winter and brought gales to western parts of the UK, with gusts as high as 85mph in north-west Scotland. The storm resulted in further flooding in parts of the north of England.