Drunk driver jailed for four years after fatal HGV crash

A drunk motorist who killed a lorry driver in a horror crash after losing control of his BMW at almost 90mph was today jailed for four years.

Michael Hall, 38, was still twice over the drink limit from drinking the night before when the collision occurred. on the rain-lashed M74 near Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire, around 6.30pm on May 2, 2019.

Hall struck the HGV driven by 42-year-old Malcolm Easton from Alexandria, Dunbartonshire, as he tried to overtake it.

Mr Easton's lorry jacknifed as a result and plunged 40 metres down an embankment. He died at the scene from head injuries.

Jailing Hall at the High Court in Glasgow judge Lord Braid told him: “You accelerated up to 89mph to overtake the lorry driven by Mr Easton when the driving conditions were treacherous.

“You braked and your vehicle spun hitting Mr Easton's lorry which jack knifed and went through a crash barrier and down a steep embankment. You were more than twice the drink driving limit.

“To overtake in such driving conditions was highly dangerous.”

Lord Braid also banned Hall from driving for seven years and four months.

Members of Mr Easton's family were in court to see Hall sentenced. They had written victim statements to the judge expressing their devastating loss.

The court heard that Hall, a car sales manager from England, had driven from Leeds to Ayrshire after celebrating into the early hours Liverpool beating Barcelona.

His defence QC Ian Duguid said: "The alcohol was from the night before in celebration. He appreciates he should have been more vigilant. He thought he was well capable of driving.

"He shouldn't have been driving at speed in the conditions. He says as he overtook the lorry a deluge of water came into his carriageway from the opposite carriageway and he aquaplaned.

"He has expressed remorse. He told a social worker who interviewed him 'I can't mess up in my life that would be disrespectful to Mr Easton.”

Hall a car sales manager pled guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. He also admitted having 47mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath. The legal limit is 22mg.

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