Dangerous lorry driver jailed over serious collision in Sussex
It happened last year, near Uckfield.
Last updated 29th Dec 2023
A dangerous driver, who failed to safely secure agricultural equipment onto his lorry and caused serious injuries in a collision with another motorist, has been jailed.
Ashley Sceal was responsible for transporting the farm equipment at Lewes Road, Blackboys, near Uckfield.
A tractor and machinery was loaded onto a flatbed trailer, but detached from the vehicle into the path of an oncoming driver.
In the serious collision which followed, a 61-year-old woman from Heathfield, sustained life-changing injuries.
She said it caused her “months of hell” and has had a devastating impact on her physical and mental health.
A collision report found that Sceal’s lorry was not safe to be on the road.
At Lewes Crown Court on December 4, the 31-year-old admitted causing serious injuries by dangerous driving.
He was jailed for two years, and was disqualified from driving for three years.
The court was told how Sceal, formerly a haulier of Osborne Road, Crowborough, was driving on September 12, 2022.
At 8pm, the machinery he was transporting became detached.
It fell into the path of an oncoming motorist, giving her no time to react.
Sceal was found to be over the drug-driving limit for benzoylecgonine (a cocaine body-breakdown product), with 168 microgrammes (uhg) found per litre of blood. The legal limit is 50uhg per litre of blood.
Speaking after the case, Detective Constable Dave Symonds from the Serious Collision Investigation Unit said: “All drivers of heavy goods vehicles must ensure that loads are securely attached.
“This collision was easily avoidable, but Sceal failed to meet that basic requirement. He was fortunate not to have killed the victim or anyone other road users in this case.
“It highlights the need for all drivers to be considerate of the risks and to follow safety steps to help prevent causing such devastating consequences.”