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| Baroness coach crash driver Norman Markus fined | Baroness coach crash driver Norman Markus fined |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The driver of a coach that plunged off a viaduct near Bath while carrying a US rock band has been fined £365. | |
| Norman Markus did not appear at Bath Magistrates' Court but pleaded guilty via his lawyer to careless driving and using a vehicle with defective brakes. | Norman Markus did not appear at Bath Magistrates' Court but pleaded guilty via his lawyer to careless driving and using a vehicle with defective brakes. |
| Other charges against him, including dangerous driving, were dropped. | Other charges against him, including dangerous driving, were dropped. |
| Magistrate Margaret Gilmour said the attention the case had attracted was dramatic but they had to "deal with the offences as charged". | Magistrate Margaret Gilmour said the attention the case had attracted was dramatic but they had to "deal with the offences as charged". |
| The court heard self-employed Markus was still recovering from the crash at home in Germany and that as he had no income his parents would be paying the fine. | The court heard self-employed Markus was still recovering from the crash at home in Germany and that as he had no income his parents would be paying the fine. |
| Prosecutor Jeremy Oliver told the court that 39-year-old Markus was transporting the band Baroness when his coach crashed at the bottom of Brassknocker Hill, Monkton Combe, on 15 August. | Prosecutor Jeremy Oliver told the court that 39-year-old Markus was transporting the band Baroness when his coach crashed at the bottom of Brassknocker Hill, Monkton Combe, on 15 August. |
| He said that Markus suffered serious leg and pelvic injuries, and his passengers' injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to damaged vertebrae. | He said that Markus suffered serious leg and pelvic injuries, and his passengers' injuries ranged from cuts and bruises to damaged vertebrae. |
| 'Ill-judged decision' | 'Ill-judged decision' |
| Mr Oliver said the vehicle was inspected and found to have defective brakes. The band members had said the defects were known about, which led to the original charges against Markus. | Mr Oliver said the vehicle was inspected and found to have defective brakes. The band members had said the defects were known about, which led to the original charges against Markus. |
| But, he said, when Markus was spoken to he said he had been aware of the defective brakes and had taken the coach to a garage in Germany to be fixed. | But, he said, when Markus was spoken to he said he had been aware of the defective brakes and had taken the coach to a garage in Germany to be fixed. |
| "He had no further trouble with the brakes and had driven through Europe to England, across England, and there hadn't been a problem until the slightly ill-judged decision to use sat-nav to drive to Southampton using that very steep hill," Mr Oliver said. | "He had no further trouble with the brakes and had driven through Europe to England, across England, and there hadn't been a problem until the slightly ill-judged decision to use sat-nav to drive to Southampton using that very steep hill," Mr Oliver said. |
| Tachograph charges against Markus were dropped, Mr Oliver said, because tachographs only need to be fitted to vehicles designed to carry more than eight people. | Tachograph charges against Markus were dropped, Mr Oliver said, because tachographs only need to be fitted to vehicles designed to carry more than eight people. |
| While Markus was driving the coach, there were beds and living space inside rather than a large number of seats, he said. | While Markus was driving the coach, there were beds and living space inside rather than a large number of seats, he said. |
| Murray Oliver, defending Markus, said his client had "a very large operation to rebuild his waist" and had not fully recovered. | Murray Oliver, defending Markus, said his client had "a very large operation to rebuild his waist" and had not fully recovered. |
| 'Living with parents' | 'Living with parents' |
| Markus' main asset - his coach - had been destroyed in the crash, he said, and he was not in a position to convert another vehicle or work as a second driver on somebody else's. | Markus' main asset - his coach - had been destroyed in the crash, he said, and he was not in a position to convert another vehicle or work as a second driver on somebody else's. |
| He said Markus had moved back in with his parents who were paying his living costs as he was not currently eligible for benefits. | He said Markus had moved back in with his parents who were paying his living costs as he was not currently eligible for benefits. |
| "The effect of this accident is far greater than any punishment this court or a higher court... could give," he said. | "The effect of this accident is far greater than any punishment this court or a higher court... could give," he said. |
| Markus's legal fees and compensation to the injured band members had been covered by his insurance policy, he said. | Markus's legal fees and compensation to the injured band members had been covered by his insurance policy, he said. |
| "I've taken his instruction on paying fines. He has no means, he will have to ask his parents to pay that," he added. | "I've taken his instruction on paying fines. He has no means, he will have to ask his parents to pay that," he added. |
| He was fined £265 for careless driving and £100 for using defective brakes. He was also ordered to pay costs of £35 and a victim surcharge of £26. | He was fined £265 for careless driving and £100 for using defective brakes. He was also ordered to pay costs of £35 and a victim surcharge of £26. |
| Chief Inspector Yannis Georgiou, of Avon and Somerset's Roads Policing Unit, said: "We fully investigated the circumstances of this serious incident on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service and we respect the decision of the courts." | Chief Inspector Yannis Georgiou, of Avon and Somerset's Roads Policing Unit, said: "We fully investigated the circumstances of this serious incident on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service and we respect the decision of the courts." |