Bin lorry crash driver's daughter moved house due to death threats, court told

The daughter of the driver of a bin lorry which crashed killing six people received death threats along with her father in the wake of the tragedy, a court has heard.

Harry Clarke's lawyer told Glasgow Sheriff Court that the pair were threatened via social media.

His daughter decided to move house as a result of the threats.

Clarke was banned from driving for three years when he appeared at the court for sentencing on Friday, having pleaded guilty to culpable and reckless driving in an incident nine months after the December 2014 tragedy.

His lawyer Ross Yuill told the court: "Both Mr Clarke and his daughter on numerous occasions received death threats and threats of violence, and his daughter particularly found that very difficult to deal with.

"As a result of her father's involvement in all of this, she decided to move her address."

Mr Yuill also said his client intends to move house due to the notoriety he has attracted.

He told the court: "He has lived virtually as a recluse in his property now, given that his image is well-known within the Glasgow area."

He said: "He was regularly in the media, in newspapers and on TV, and he is a man who has never been in the public eye before, and he found that very stressful and difficult to deal with."

Clarke resigned from his job as a refuse collector for Glasgow City Council in April 2015.

He is now unemployed and on benefits.

Mr Yuill said: "He has been employed his entire adult life in various different jobs.

"He is not an educated man, he left school at age 15 with some limited qualifications and has worked in fairly low-paid employment through his entire life."