Two jailed for crash which killed couple

A coach driver and his boss responsible for a crash in which a couple died as the coach was transporting a Black Country marching band have been jailed.

Robert Oughton, aged 52, of Newgate Street, Burntwood, was taking Pelsall-based West Midlands Crystalettes to a competition when the accident on the A64 in Scarborough, killed Paul and Deborah Clements, aged 40 and 39.

He bowed his head as Leeds Crown Court saw him sentenced to five years and three months in prison for death by dangerous driving and another 30 months, to run concurrently, for manslaughter.

He and the coach firm owner, his brother-in-law John Lote, 60, of Meadway Street, Burntwood, previously admitted manslaughter.

Lote received a sentence of three years for manslaughter.

The Crystalettes were going to the White Rose Marching Band Contest at Primrose Valley Havens holiday camp, Filey, Yorkshire, when the crash happened, leaving six members with minor injuries.

Passing sentence at Leeds Crown Court yesterday, the Recorder of Leeds Peter Collier QC told Oughton: "You were driving a poorly maintained vehicle. You continued to drive despite queries being made about a burning smell."

He told the defendants: "This vehicle should not have been on the road and I am satisfied you each knew that."

The crash on September 21 2008 killed Paul, 40, and Deborah, 39, as they returned home to Rotherham. where they lived with son Cameron, 17.

Richard Mansell QC, prosecuting, said the coach hit the Volkswagen Passat as its brakes failed and it went through a red light. He said passengers recalled a smell of burning and were told by Oughton to 'brace' as the coach plummeted down a steep hill into oncoming traffic.

The manslaughter charge said the pair, who ran 1-4-You Airports and Coach Travel, unlawfully killed the victims by gross negligence. This included failing to maintain the 20-year-old Daf Bova coach in a safe and roadworthy condition, and failing to follow checks. The coach should have had safety tests every six weeks but missed its last two.

The defendants never rectified problems with the rear nearside slack adjuster discovered in checks over seven-months.

Mr Mansell said: "It is inexcusable. Any competent person driving it would have been aware this state of affairs was due to a lack of maintenance."

They failed to comply with a condition in their licence that they employ a transport manager to ensure vehicles got regular checks and any problems were fixed.

Simon Reevell, for Oughton, said: "The right cause of this tragedy is not a gang of cowboys running a bus company. They were individuals trying to run a business who failed to run it at this particular time in the way they should."

Stephen Thomas, for Lote, said they were remorseful. and added: "He (Lote) comes from a respectable, decent family who are appalled at all of the matters concerning this case."

By Richard Williams