Coach Driver Pleads Guilty to Dangerous Driving

National Express Coach Crash

21/04/2008

A coach driver has admitted to driving dangerously with excess alcohol after the National Express he was driving overturned at an M1 service station.

After being cut from the wreckage at Newport Pagnall Services in September last year 35 year old Leslie Weinberg was found to have a drink drive reading of 145mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood, 65mg over the limit.

More than 30 passengers were injured when the coach overturned on route from Birmingham to Stanstead and were treated at hospitals in Northampton, Milton Keynes and Oxford.

Mr Weinberg has been told he faces a jail term by Judge Christopher Tyrer at Aylesbury Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to driving dangerously and driving with excess alcohol.

Stephen Nye from law firm Irwin Mitchell said: "This incident shows how devastating the effects of drinking and driving can be, and clearly the outcome of this particular incident could have been far worse had other vehicles become involved or control had been lost on the main carriageway.

"Having successfully dealt with many similar cases, it is clear that, as paying customers, the injured passengers were owed a high standard of care by both the driver and National Express.

"There has been a gross failure to comply with this duty and they will be entitled to bring claims for their injuries and losses. It is hoped that Mr Weinberg will be prevented from securing a PSV licence in the future as part of his awaited sentence."