Coach crash pair guilty

A driver and his boss were facing jail this afternoon after admitting the manslaughter of a married couple struck by a coach carrying a Walsall marching band.

Robert Oughton, aged 52, was driving Pelsall band West Midland Crystallettes to a competition on September 21 last year when the accident happened near Scarborough, North Yorkshire.

The coach, carrying band members aged between nine and 44, crashed into a Volkswagen Passat killing Rotherham couple Paul and Deborah Clements, aged 40 and 39. They were survived by a 16-year-old son, who was not travelling in the car.

Six passengers on the coach suffered minor injuries and are still having counselling to cope with the traumatic memories.

Oughton and his boss at company 1-4-You Airports and Coach Travel John Lote, aged 60, of Meadway Street, Burntwood, admitted manslaughter at Leeds Crown Court.

They pleaded guilty on the grounds of gross negligence, namely that the coach was not kept in a safe condition, the braking system had not been maintained and appropriate safety checks had not been carried out.

Oughton, of Newgate Street, Burntwood, also pleaded guilty to death by dangerous driving.

Both were bailed ahead of sentencing on November 13.

Lisa Clarke-Heaton, who runs West Midland Crystalletes with husband Phil said today: "It is a relief to the band. It is the end of a tragic story in one way, although the family of the couple who died will continue living with it and there are members of our band who this will travel with for the rest of their lives and are still having to have psychiatric treatment."

Some members of the band left after the accident saying they could no longer travel on a coach.