Delivery driver who fell asleep at wheel after 16-HOUR day jailed over M5 death of workmate

Front-seat passenger Ahron Ryan, 29, from Tipton, was killed instantly when the van smashed into the truck at almost 70mph.

Malkit Chaukria, 31, was sent to prison for two years and four months after a jury found him guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

The trial heard how Mr Ryan had been forced to wake his colleague earlier the same day when he nodded off at the wheel.

The pair had set off 16 hours before the crash in Gloucestershire and had driven as far as Dorset.

Before sentencing at Gloucester Crown Court, Mr Ryan's mother Audrey Reid paid an emotional tribute to her son in which she said her whole world had been changed by his death.

Chaukria, who was also seriously hurt in the crash, was told by Judge Michael Cullum that the tragedy was 'utterly avoidable'.

The van veered off the motorway after Chaukria nodded off before smashing into the back of a broken-down 44-ton truck.

Chaukria was jailed for two years and four months yesterday after a jury took two and a half hours to convict him of causing death by dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for four years and two months.

Chaukria of Hill Top, West Bromwich, who worked for Gill Transport, was badly injured in the crash.

Before Chaukria was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court, Mr Ryan's mother Audrey Reid read out an emotional tribute to her son..

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."

Sentencing Chaukria, Judge Michael Cullum told him: "You did not set out to kill him in any way - he was your friend - but his death was utterly avoidable.

"Tiredness when driving kills – we all know that."

"You were trapped by a poorly paid job in exceptionally tiring conditions and the hours you were expected to drive were very long..

"But you knew that and, although it would have been difficult for you, you should have said no and walked away from the job."

The fatal crash happened on the northbound M5 near Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire at 6.45pm on November 6, 2014 - about 16 hours after Mr 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.

During the trial, the court heard how earlier the same day Mr Ryan had to wake Chaukria up when he nodded off during their delivery run in the West Country.