Lorry driver jailed after Altincham mum death
Mum was killed by loose bar on lorry.
A lorry driver has been sent to prison after his failure to secure a crane caused the death of a young mum. William Stewart, of Cross Hey Avenue, Birkenhead, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison and banned from driving for seven years for causing death by dangerous driving at Preston Crown Court today. On Thursday 4 June 2015, Natalie Thorpe was at a pelican crossing on Dunham Road, Altrincham, on her way home from work. As Stewart drove around the corner in a flat-bed lorry one of the crane’s stabiliser legs extended to its full 6ft length and collided with Natalie, throwing her along the road. Stewart’s vehicle continued a short distance along the road where the crane hit a vehicle before stopping at the junction of Groby Road. Emergency services were called but Natalie was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. Inquiries revealed Stewart had been involved in a number of incidents in a work vehicle, including demolishing a customer’s wall during a delivery and hitting a member of the public’s vehicle and failing to stop. He had been dismissed from this company and was in his first week in a new job when this tragedy occurred. Following the collision the vehicle was inspected and it was found that the crane had been packed away incorrectly and was not correctly secured. PC Paul Joynson, of GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “This tragic incident has taken the life of a young woman due to the negligence of William Stewart and has also robbed an innocent child of their chance to grow up knowing their mum. “Stewart committed a catalogue of errors and ignored the safety procedures expected of an LGV driver and a crane operator. “The sentence can never make up for the pain Natalie’s family have endured but I hope that this can help to offer them some closure.”