Bedworth Lorry driver jailed over M69 death

He was using his mobile phone to text and watch pornographic videos while he was driving.

A lorry driver from Bedworth has been jailed for eight years after a driver died on the M69 near Hinckley. 

56-year-old Felix Gillon of Johnson Road, Bedworth was travelling along the M69 in his lorry, on 3rd May 2016, when he hit a truck which had broken down between junction 1 and 2. 

55-year-old Kerry Pemberton from Birmingham sustained serious injuries and subsequently died in hospital later on the same day.

The court heard how an off-duty police officer stopped at the scene of the collision and witnessed Gillon throwing a mobile telephone out of the vehicle into fields off the hard-shoulder. He had taken the SIM card out and discarded it separately but an examination of the scene also located the card.

An analysis of the SIM revealed Gillon was watching pornographic material on his handheld mobile telephone and was also sending and receiving text messages while he was driving.

Felix Gillon was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and perverting the course of justice.

He was sentenced to eight years in prison and banned from driving for four years. The ban will come into effect upon release from prison.

Detective Constable Seamus Burns was the investigating officer, he said: “Not only did Gillon blatantly disregard the law he attempted to cover his tracks by getting rid of evidence. His actions that day, no doubt, resulted in the death of an innocent man.

“I am pleased he has been found guilty of the offences and I hope this case highlight the dangers road users are putting themselves and others in when they ignore the law which is there to ensure the safety of all.

“Our commitment to tackling the main causes of deaths and serious injury on the roads is something we take extremely seriously. The Fatal4 campaign is a multi-agency approach to educating road users on the four main causes of collisions; drink driving, using a mobile ‘phone while driving, speeding and the use of seatbelts.

“We hold Fatal4 events on a regular basis across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland along with the road safety partnership, local authority and other emergency services.”