Crash driver fell asleep

A lorry driver who suffers from sleep apnoea, a condition that causes drowsiness has been jailed for three years and nine months after he fell asleep at the wheel, ran into a line of cars and killed a family of four.

Mr Ian King from Groby, Leics ran his 30-tonne lorry into the car of the Dowling family from Staffordshire who were returning from a holiday in France.

In December the court heard that Mr King did not know that he suffered from the condition but the judge felt that there must have been a clear feeling of drowsiness and he was found guilty of four counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Nicola Meese from the Road Traffic Accident team at Irwin Mitchell Solicitors said: "This is a tragic case which highlights the dangers of driving whilst tired and should serve as a reminder to all motorists to take the necessary precautions if they find themselves in such a situation."