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Bus driver who dragged cyclist to his death and failed to stop avoids jail

Cyclist dragged 24m along road after being hit by bus at junction

A bus driver who dragged a cyclist 24 metres under his wheels to his death has walked free from court despite admitting death by dangerous driving.

John Yates, 57, from Sacriston, County Durham, wept as details were read out about how he killed 46 year old Leslie Turnbull in January.

On the day of the collision, conditions were good, the court heard, and Mr Turnbull was visible with  lights on his bike.

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He was riding along Barmston Way, in Washington, Tyne and Wear, and came to a junction the bus was crossing.

Speaking for the prosecution, Paul Rowland said telemetry from the vehicle showed he had slowed to about 4mph a few metres before the junction and would have had “a full view of the road”, according to the Independent.

He said: “That speed was maintained before he began to slowly accelerate across the give-way signs.

“His speed increased to 6.8mph and in crossing the junction the bus collided with Mr Turnbull, who, of course, had right of way. At that time he was passing in front of the bus and Mr Turnbull was unseated and overrun by the bus, which came to rest some 23.6 metres down the road.”

A driver who was coming along the road behind Mr Turnbull told the court that when the bus did not slow down, began to sound his horn to warn the driver.

Mr Turnbull was found by his wife and daughter who went looking for him when he did not return home as expected.

Yates was described by his lawyer as ‘a broken man’ who was having counselling for the impact of the collision. He had 35 years of professional experience and a clean record, but had committed to never driving again.

He explained his failure to stop as ‘panic’.

Yates was given a 12-month community order and disqualified from driving for two years.

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22 comments

Avatar
Carlos the jackal | 9 years ago
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Just for the record. If your poor driving is the reason someone,be it cyclist, pedestrian or driver loses their life that you should be banned from driving for life. As you are obviously not up to it. Then if you are caught driving after that it should be a mandatory sentence of 1 year inside.

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Argos74 | 9 years ago
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Quote:

‘a broken man’ who was having counselling for the impact of the collision. He had 35 years of professional experience and a clean record, but had committed to never driving again.

With the greatest of sympathy [not much], it shouldn't be his choice never to drive again.

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herrow | 9 years ago
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People who eat Goldfish get harsher sentencing than those who hurt or kill other people intentionally or otherwise:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-33369506

So there you go, hurting or killing an goldfish is worse than hurting or killing a person. I guess we know where we stand in this world, we might as well all just give up now.

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podgethepuffer | 9 years ago
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There are no such things as accidents. They are incidents or events with a cause. In this event the [cause] was the drivers ineptness and pathetic clam to panic. Neither are an acceptable mitigating factor. Also, anybody who kills somebody through their own inept driving abilities, sober or otherwise, should be banned for life: There is no such thing as a 'right to drive'.

In this case, the driver should have been awarded some sort of custodial service, community order and a lifetime ban. He didn't just kill Leslie, 's more than killed somebody. He's destroyed the lives his wife and daughter, for ever (a lifetime) and all those that loved him.

In this case, the courts are at fault for failing to serve.

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Kim | 9 years ago
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It is time that we introduced life time bans for those who kill on the roads. Driving is not a human right, it is privilege permitted under licence.

A driving licence should not be held as some form of sacred token which the uses holds for life, it should be with drawn far more often, if the holders shows themselves to by unworthy of the privilege, by posing a threat to themselves and/or others.

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Airzound | 9 years ago
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The fucking justice system and especially the courts are broken. They are NOT fit for purpose. Who gives a shit about whether the bus driver is a "broken man"! He clearly isn't as he is alive, very much alive, unlike Leslie Turnball whom he killed. He dragged him down the road out of panic!!!!! The driver is total psychopath. Why would you not stop or attempt to stop. The only explanation is he wanted to harm or kill the cyclist. The cunt should have got 25 years in prison.

HOW MUCH LONGER WILL THE SLAUGHTER OF CYCLISTS CONTINUE BEFORE THE JUSTICE SYSTEM, THE COURTS AND THE GOVERNMENT TAKE THIS SERIOUSLY AND START GIVING SENTENCES THAT REFLECT THE GRAVITY OF THE OFFENCES!!!!!!!!! THEY ALL HAVE BLOOD ON THEIR HANDS. NONE OF THEM AS FAR AS I CAN SEE GIVE A FUCK ABOUT CYCLISTS. IF YOU WANT TO KILL SOME ONE PUT THEM ON A BIKE THEN RUN THEM DOWN. AT WORST YOU'LL GET A SLAP ON THE WRIST OR AT BEST YOU MIGHT EVEN GET A MEDAL IF THE CYCLIST WASN'T WEARING A HELMET OR HIGH VIZ.

AS A CYCLIST IF YOU ARE KNOCKED DOWN AND KILLED, YOU LIFE IS WORTH FUCK ALL TO JUDGES AND GOVERNMENT. PERIOD.

AWFUL.

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spen | 9 years ago
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Guoss - no you wouldn't. Our great and wise prime minister has declared "When that burglar crosses your threshold, invades your home, threatens your family, they give up their rights," and as the torygraph put it "In ordinary circumstances, those who attacked burglars would not face prosecution. "
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/conservative/9595589/David-Came...)

Although as Chris Grayling noted ".... stabbling an intruder who had already been rendered unconscious. ...." would be considered " "grossly disproportionate" force."

You really couldn't make it up!

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The Rake | 9 years ago
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I have no words

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vonhelmet | 9 years ago
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We need longer bans. And no, I don't give a toss if someone's livelihood depends on them being able to drive. He can catch the bus. Poetic justice, I think.

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zanf replied to vonhelmet | 9 years ago
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Das wrote:

So the drivers in the wrong, admits hes in the wrong, an innocent man is dead, and still the courts wont jail people who kill cyclists. Nice that they think someones life is worth 12 month Painting fences and picking up litter.

sigh......

It's not just cyclists.

The bin lorry driver in Glasgow who had a history of suffering vasovagal, passes out at the wheel, kills 6, seriously injures 15 yet walks away scot free.

vonhelmet wrote:

We need longer bans. And no, I don't give a toss if someone's livelihood depends on them being able to drive.

Considering that there are around 10,000 drivers with +12 points on their licence, it's a complete mockery.

If your livelihood depends on you holding a licence, then don't drive like a cunt. If you can't do that then suffer poverty.

Too much pandering going on in this country to obese fuckers in shitty polluting cars.

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Das replied to zanf | 9 years ago
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zanf wrote:

The bin lorry driver in Glasgow who had a history of suffering vasovagal, passes out at the wheel, kills 6, seriously injures 15 yet walks away scot free.

Off topic, i know, but I would be very surprised if the Police do not take a second look at this case, now that clear and damning evidence against him has come to light during the FAI. Manslaughter charges at least, as he clearly knew there were Issues with his health and deliberately failed to disclose them on more than one occasion.

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Housecathst replied to Das | 9 years ago
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Das wrote:
zanf wrote:

The bin lorry driver in Glasgow who had a history of suffering vasovagal, passes out at the wheel, kills 6, seriously injures 15 yet walks away scot free.

Off topic, i know, but I would be very surprised if the Police do not take a second look at this case, now that clear and damning evidence against him has come to light during the FAI. Manslaughter charges at least, as he clearly knew there were Issues with his health and deliberately failed to disclose them on more than one occasion.

Apparently they were fully aware of his history and still of the view that it was a "tragic accident"

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/glasgow-bin-lorry-crash-...

How you can make a conscious decision to lie on a number of occasions about your ability to drive, including to the DVLA and this not be considered enough to be a "criminal state of mind required for a criminal prosecution" is totally beyond me. It makes me so angry I can taste it in my mouth, if it had been my loved ones killed by this person I'd be feeling homicidal right now.

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vonhelmet replied to zanf | 9 years ago
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zanf wrote:
Das wrote:

So the drivers in the wrong, admits hes in the wrong, an innocent man is dead, and still the courts wont jail people who kill cyclists. Nice that they think someones life is worth 12 month Painting fences and picking up litter.

sigh......

It's not just cyclists.

The bin lorry driver in Glasgow who had a history of suffering vasovagal, passes out at the wheel, kills 6, seriously injures 15 yet walks away scot free.

vonhelmet wrote:

We need longer bans. And no, I don't give a toss if someone's livelihood depends on them being able to drive.

Considering that there are around 10,000 drivers with +12 points on their licence, it's a complete mockery.

If your livelihood depends on you holding a licence, then don't drive like a cunt. If you can't do that then suffer poverty.

Too much pandering going on in this country to obese fuckers in shitty polluting cars.

If we had the prison capacity for it I'd suggest that a driving was was treated like an asbo. Driving while banned? 5 year jail term. Do not pass go. Do not collect £200.

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Bazzer replied to zanf | 9 years ago
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Absolutely spot-on!

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Ush replied to zanf | 9 years ago
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zanf wrote:

The bin lorry driver in Glasgow who had a history of suffering vasovagal, passes out at the wheel, kills 6, seriously injures 15 yet walks away scot free.

"scot free" is appropriate here.

zanf wrote:

If your livelihood depends on you holding a licence, then don't drive like a cunt. If you can't do that then suffer poverty.

Too much pandering going on in this country to obese fuckers in shitty polluting cars.

+1000

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GUOSS | 9 years ago
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I Honestly cant understand the law in UK.
So lets say if I kill a coked up guy who breaks into my house, tries to steal my stuff and threatens to kill my family,
I will certainly not receive a 12 month community service, but most likely will end up in jail as a murderer.

But if i drive and kill a cyclist claiming that sun suddenly blinded me and also throw in that I'm a crushed man since the accident then most likely ill walk free.

But yeah what to expect in the world where you can kill hundreds of people and be branded as a hero because you are in army.

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cavmem1 replied to GUOSS | 9 years ago
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GUOSS wrote:

But yeah what to expect in the world where you can kill hundreds of people and be branded as a hero because you are in army.

And what the hell has this got to do with anything?
FFS, I am truly lost for words how is this related to the article?

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hicki35 | 9 years ago
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Should have been jailed for at least five years, and lifetime ban. The only way to deter people from killing cyclists.

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hicki35 | 9 years ago
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Should have been jailed for at least five years, and lifetime ban. The only way to deter people from killing cyclists.

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pakennedy | 9 years ago
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So the best way to get away with murder continues to be "Give them a bike". (Yes, I know this wasn't murder but killing someone shouldn't be something you walk away from the court for.)

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anarchy | 9 years ago
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Should be jailed to encourage drivers to drive better in future

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Das | 9 years ago
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So the drivers in the wrong, admits hes in the wrong, an innocent man is dead, and still the courts wont jail people who kill cyclists. Nice that they think someones life is worth 12 month Painting fences and picking up litter.

sigh......

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