Glasgow bin lorry crash driver in court accused of dangerous driving
The driver of the bin lorry that careered into and killed six people days before Christmas has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving.
The driver of the bin lorry that careered into and killed six people days before Christmas has appeared in court charged with dangerous driving. Harry Clarke, 59, allegedly drove a car dangerously on September 20, 2015 knowing he had had two previous medical incidents. He faces an alternative charge of culpably and recklessly driving the vehicle on that date. He is also accused of committing fraud between June and September 2015 by pretending to an insurance company that he had a driving licence when it had been revoked. Clarke, from Baillieston, Glasgow faces a further charge of making a false statement in an application for insurance in May 2015. He appeared in private at Glasgow Sheriff Court where he made no plea or declaration and was granted bail. Papers from the court allege that on September 20, on Buchanan Street, Baillieston and elsewhere he drove a car dangerously. The charge alleges that he did so in the knowledge “on April 7 2010 you had suffered a loss of consciousness or an episode of altered awareness when behind the wheel of stationary bus”. It also claims that he drove knowing “on December 22, 2014 you had suffered a loss of consciousness when behind the wheel of a moving refuse collection vehicle resulting in the deaths of six members of the public and injury to 15 further members of the public”. The charge further alleges that as a result of the two matters his licence was revoked on June 27, 2015 for 12 months and he knew or ought to have known that he was unfit to drive and that there was a “real risk of suffering a loss of consciousness or episode of altered awareness whilst driving”. The alternative charge alleges that the driving was “culpable and reckless”. Clarke faces a fraud charge of pretending to Direct Line Group and UK insurance Ltd that he held a driving licence by failing to notify them that his licence had been revoked and induced the company to continue insurance and obtain insurance. The final charge is alleged to have taken place on May 12, 2015 and claims Clarke “for the purpose of obtaining a certificate of insurance or certificate of security", made a false statement in that he stated he had not had a road traffic accident within the previous three years. The charge continues “the truth being that you had been the driver of a refuse collection vehicle involved in a road traffic accident on December 22, 2014”. It is expected Clarke will return to court at a later date. Defence lawyer, Ross Yuill representing Clarke said: “Mr Clarke is unable to comment at this time.” Clarke was driving the bin lorry on December 22, 2014 when he lost control of it and careered into six people, killing them. Jack Sweeney, 68, his wife Lorraine, 69, and their 18-year-old granddaughter Erin McQuade, all from Dumbarton, were among them. Gillian Ewing, 52 , from Edinburgh, Jacqueline Morton, 51,and 29-year -old Stephenie Tait from Glasgow also tragically lost their lives.