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Judge's anger at firm for driver's 'ludicrous' long hours before M5 death crash

A judge has criticised a transport firm for sending a low paid driver out for such long hours that he fell asleep at the wheel and caused a workmate's death.

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Malkit Chaukria, 31, of Hill Top, West Bromwich, was convicted on Tuesday of causing the death of 29-year-old Ahron Ryan by dangerous driving and was jailed for two years four months at Gloucester Crown Court.

Chaukria was regularly starting work at 2.30am, driving between 300 and 500 miles to deliver white goods for the Co-op in the West Country, and not getting home until about 7pm to 8pm.

He nodded off at the wheel of his van as he headed home at 6.45pm on November 6, 2014 and veered onto the hard shoulder where he smashed into a broken down 44-ton lorry.

Driver's mate Mr Ryan, who was in the front passenger seat, was killed instantly.

Judge Michael Cullum, who also banned Chaukria from driving for four years and two months, criticised his employer for Chaukria's long hours.

The judge said: "You did not set out to kill Mr Ryan in any way – he was your friend. But his death was utterly avoidable.

"Tiredness when driving kills – we all know that.

"The hours you were expected to drive were utterly irresponsible and it is obvious to me that your employer bears a high degree of moral responsibility for what happened."

Judge Cullum added: "You were trapped by a poorly paid job in exceptionally tiring conditions and the hours you were expected to drive were ludicrous."

Before Chaukria was sentenced, Mr Ryan's mother Audrey Reid had read an emotional statement to the court.

She said: "I was so proud of my son, he was such a beautiful boy. I am devastated to have lost my son.

"I struggle to sleep at night and my whole world has changed.

""Each night I lie awake as my heart is broken. My lovely boy has gone too soon."

The fatal crash happened on the northbound M5 near junction 8 about 16 hours after Chaukria had picked Mr Ryan up from home to set off for their delivery run which took them as far south as Weymouth in Dorset.

The prosecution said during the trial that earlier the same day Mr Ryan had to wake Chaukria up when he nodded off during their delivery run in the West Country.

Prosecutor Mark Worsley told the jury Chaukria was 'dog tired' from days of working very long hours and driving hundreds of miles daily.

The jury agreed with the prosecution's version of events and returned a unanimous verdict of guilty on the charge of causing death by dangerous driving, which Chaukria had denied.

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