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| Glasgow bin lorry crash driver 'had no references' | Glasgow bin lorry crash driver 'had no references' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Glasgow bin lorry inquiry into the deaths of six people has heard the driver had no references on his file and was suspended from his former job. | |
| Glasgow Sheriff Court was told Harry Clarke was suspended from First Bus on 28 December 2010 and started work with Glasgow City Council on 5 January 2011. | Glasgow Sheriff Court was told Harry Clarke was suspended from First Bus on 28 December 2010 and started work with Glasgow City Council on 5 January 2011. |
| The inquiry also heard Mr Clarke had his driving and lorry licences reinstated but revoked again in June. | The inquiry also heard Mr Clarke had his driving and lorry licences reinstated but revoked again in June. |
| The FAI is examining the bin lorry, its route and Mr Clarke's health. | The FAI is examining the bin lorry, its route and Mr Clarke's health. |
| The court previously heard that Mr Clarke was unconscious at the wheel as the Glasgow City Council bin lorry went out of control on Queen Street on 22 December 2014, killing six pedestrians and injuring 15 others. | The court previously heard that Mr Clarke was unconscious at the wheel as the Glasgow City Council bin lorry went out of control on Queen Street on 22 December 2014, killing six pedestrians and injuring 15 others. |
| Fit to drive | Fit to drive |
| On the sixth day of the FAI, which is being overseen by Sheriff John Beckett QC, the court heard evidence again from Mr Gellan, an area manager with Glasgow City Council's land and environmental services department. | On the sixth day of the FAI, which is being overseen by Sheriff John Beckett QC, the court heard evidence again from Mr Gellan, an area manager with Glasgow City Council's land and environmental services department. |
| He was questioned by Ronald Conway, lawyer for the bereaved Tait family. | He was questioned by Ronald Conway, lawyer for the bereaved Tait family. |
| The inquiry heard that on 29 April this year Mr Clarke had his car and LGV licences restored. | The inquiry heard that on 29 April this year Mr Clarke had his car and LGV licences restored. |
| It was said that he was therefore deemed fit by the DVLA to get back behind the wheel of a bin lorry. | It was said that he was therefore deemed fit by the DVLA to get back behind the wheel of a bin lorry. |
| Mr Conway put it to Mr Gellan that there was never the remotest chance that the council would allow him to drive, if he made an application. | Mr Conway put it to Mr Gellan that there was never the remotest chance that the council would allow him to drive, if he made an application. |
| Mr Gellan replied: "We made the decision not to." | Mr Gellan replied: "We made the decision not to." |
| Mr Conway added: "Just because he got his licence back does not mean that you think he is fit to drive a long goods vehicle?" The witness replied: "No." | Mr Conway added: "Just because he got his licence back does not mean that you think he is fit to drive a long goods vehicle?" The witness replied: "No." |
| Mr Gellan agreed with the lawyers assertion that it was the council's vehicles and therefore the authority's "duty of care". | Mr Gellan agreed with the lawyers assertion that it was the council's vehicles and therefore the authority's "duty of care". |
| It later emerged that Mr Clarke had both his licences revoked again in June. | It later emerged that Mr Clarke had both his licences revoked again in June. |
| Correspondence from 2009 was later read to the court in which Mr Clarke appealed against a formal final warning from his then employer, First Bus, over his attendance. | Correspondence from 2009 was later read to the court in which Mr Clarke appealed against a formal final warning from his then employer, First Bus, over his attendance. |
| The First Bus response rejects his appeal and appears to tell Mr Clarke that his attendance was "unsatisfactory" and lists his absences. | The First Bus response rejects his appeal and appears to tell Mr Clarke that his attendance was "unsatisfactory" and lists his absences. |
| Mr Conway said that if this was accurate it would have made Mr Clarke a "deeply unattractive candidate" for a council driving job. | Mr Conway said that if this was accurate it would have made Mr Clarke a "deeply unattractive candidate" for a council driving job. |
| The lawyer asked Mr Gellan if he would have hired Mr Clarke based on this evidence. | The lawyer asked Mr Gellan if he would have hired Mr Clarke based on this evidence. |
| The witness replied that he could not make an assumption but all the evidence he had been shown "would be taken into consideration". | The witness replied that he could not make an assumption but all the evidence he had been shown "would be taken into consideration". |
| Mr Conway then asked if Mr Gellan had asked himself last night: "How on earth did we hire this man?" | Mr Conway then asked if Mr Gellan had asked himself last night: "How on earth did we hire this man?" |
| The witness replied that he did think about it. | The witness replied that he did think about it. |
| During Mr Conway's cross-examination, it later emerged that there were no references on Mr Clarke's employment record with Glasgow City council. | During Mr Conway's cross-examination, it later emerged that there were no references on Mr Clarke's employment record with Glasgow City council. |
| This led to the lawyer stating to Mr Gellan: "Someone has blundered, either at First Bus, or at Glasgow City Council carrying out a grossly incompetent employment process." | This led to the lawyer stating to Mr Gellan: "Someone has blundered, either at First Bus, or at Glasgow City Council carrying out a grossly incompetent employment process." |
| Erin McQuade, 18, her grandparents Jack Sweeney, 68, and his 69-year-old wife Lorraine, all from Dumbarton, died in the incident in the city's Queen Street and George Square. | Erin McQuade, 18, her grandparents Jack Sweeney, 68, and his 69-year-old wife Lorraine, all from Dumbarton, died in the incident in the city's Queen Street and George Square. |
| Stephenie Tait, 29, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow, and Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, were also killed when the truck mounted the pavement before crashing into the side of the Millennium Hotel. | Stephenie Tait, 29, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, both from Glasgow, and Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, were also killed when the truck mounted the pavement before crashing into the side of the Millennium Hotel. |
| A further 15 people were injured. | A further 15 people were injured. |
| The Crown Office has already concluded that there will be no criminal prosecution over the crash, with senior lawyers deeming it a "tragic accident". | The Crown Office has already concluded that there will be no criminal prosecution over the crash, with senior lawyers deeming it a "tragic accident". |