Image caption Two lorries and a minibus were involved in the crash on the M1 near Newport Pagnell in August

Two lorry drivers have been jailed over a crash on the M1 in Buckinghamshire that killed eight people last year.

Ryszard Masierak, 31, was jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

David Wagstaff, 54, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Eight people died when the minibus they were travelling in was hit by Wagstaff and shunted into Masierak's lorry, which had stopped on the inside lane.

Judge Francis Sheridan said the crash was the most serious in the UK for more than 26 years.

'No remorse'

Sentencing the pair at Aylesbury Crown Court, Judge Sheridan described Masierak as a "persistent, unmitigated, if not very accomplished liar" who had shown "no remorse".

"What you have tried to do is blame everyone and everybody except yourself," he told him.

The trial heard Masierak, of Barnards Close, Evesham, Worcestershire, was twice the drink-drive limit and had stopped on the inside lane near Newport Pagnell for 12 minutes before the crash on 26 August.

The AIM Logistics driver admitted he had consumed alcohol but said he stopped because he was sweating, felt weak and had a headache.

Image copyright Thames Valley Police Image caption Ryszard Masierak and David Wagstaff were sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court

After the verdicts, it was revealed Masierak's professional driving licence had been revoked prior to the crash.

At today's sentencing, the Polish national was told he could face deportation on his release from prison.

Minibus driver Cyriac Joseph was waiting with his hazard lights on to go around Masierak's lorry when Fed Ex driver Wagstaff ploughed into the back of the van forcing it into and under Masierak's vehicle.

Wagstaff, of Derwent Street, Stoke-on-Trent, had been on a hands-free call for an hour at the time of impact and the trial heard he did not brake before crashing into the minibus at 56mph.

Judge Sheridan said Wagstaff had between nine and 11 seconds to see the vehicles ahead had he "not been so distracted by using the phone".

"You took no action whatsoever because you weren't concentrating on what was in front of you - they were there to be seen and you didn't see them."

A jury had cleared Wagstaff of causing death by dangerous driving.

Despite Judge Sheridan acknowledging that Wagstaff had not broken the law by using a bluetooth headset, he said: "It would be wrong of me not to take the opportunity to urge the public to download the app that deactivates your phone when you are on the move."

Image copyright Facebook Image caption The minibus was owned and being driven by Cyriac Joseph

The eight people killed were all travelling in the minibus, which was carrying 11 Indian tourists from Nottingham to London ahead of a trip to Disneyland Paris.

The six men and two women who died were driver Cyriac Joseph, Panneerselvam Annamalai, Rishi Ranjeev Kumar, Vivek Baskaran, Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman, Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian, Subramaniyan Arachelvan and Tamilmani Arachelvan.

Four other passengers - including a four-year-old girl orphaned by the crash - were seriously injured and spent weeks in hospital afterwards.

'Utmost dignity'

Masierak was also disqualified from driving for 17 years after he was convicted of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Wagstaff admitted eight counts of causing death by careless driving and four counts of causing serious injury by careless driving. He was banned from driving for three years.

At the sentencing, Judge Sheridan took the opportunity to thank the victims' families who he said had "conducted themselves with utmost dignity which was utterly humbling".</s>March 23 (Reuters) - Two lorry drivers have been jailed over a crash on the M1 motorway in Buckinghamshire that left eight people dead last summer, the BBC reported on Friday.

Ryszard Masierak, 31, was jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and David Wagstaff, 54, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving, the BBC said.

Judge Francis Sheridan described Masierak as a "persistent, unmitigated, if not very accomplished liar" who had shown "no remorse", adding the driver had tried to blame everyone else, the BBC said.

Masierak was twice the drink-drive limit while Wagstaff was on a hands-free call in cruise control when their lorries collided with a minibus on August 26, 2017. All of the deceased and injured were on the minibus in the collision near the English town of Newport Pagnell, 50 miles (80 km) northwest of London.

Sheridan said the crash was one of the most serious in Britain for more than 26 years, the BBC said. (Reporting by Philip George in Bengaluru; Editing by Sandra Maler)</s>These are external links and will open in a new window

Two lorry drivers have been jailed over a crash on the M1 in Buckinghamshire that killed eight people last year.

Ryszard Masierak, 31, was jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

David Wagstaff, 54, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Eight people died when the minibus they were travelling in was hit by Wagstaff and shunted into Masierak's lorry, which had stopped on the inside lane.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive Breaking News on a smartphone or tablet via the BBC News App. You can also follow @BBCBreaking on Twitter to get the latest alerts.</s>A pioneering scheme will see undercover lorries used to help snare dangerous drivers on Midland motorways.

The unmarked HGV 'supercab' will take to roads as part of a unique initiative to tackle unsafe driving on motorways and major A roads.

It follows a similar scheme in the region launched three years ago, which saw police catch more than 300 reckless motorists brazenly using mobile phones behind the wheel.

In total, 28 police forces across England have taken part in the HGV cab safety initiative since it began in April 2015, pulling over 4,176 drivers in relation to 5,039 offences in its first two years.

In the West Midlands, 576 drivers were pulled over in relation to 634 offences.

More than 300 of the drivers who were stopped in the West Midlands were illegally using a mobile phone while driving, despite the latest statistics showing that mobile phone use is a factor in an average of two deaths on the roads every month.

How do the lorries help catch criminals?

The lorries are fitted with wide-angle cameras to capture unsafe driving and have derestricted speed limiters - meaning they can travel at speeds up to the national limit.

Flashing lights have also been installed for use by police forces in the event of an emergency.

The cabs allow police officers to film evidence of dangerous driving from a higher view by pulling up alongside vehicles.

Motorists are then stopped by police cars following behind.

The scheme - funded by Highways England - comes a year after the government doubled the penalty for drivers caught using their phones at the wheel.

Motorists now receive six points on their licence and a £200 fine - up from the previous three points and £100 fine.

Richard Leonard, Highways England's Head of Road Safety, said: "This is all about improving safety on Midlands roads.

"Highways England has been funding a single cab for the past couple of years and we've been impressed with the impact it's had.

"Over 4,000 dangerous drivers have been pulled over, with police action ranging from verbal warnings to prosecutions.

"We've found that the vast majority of drivers are sensible behind the wheel but a few have got into bad habits, or are simply ignoring the law and putting themselves and others at risk.

"We've therefore decided to fund two extra unmarked HGV cabs, included one based with police forces in the Midlands, to continue to target dangerous driving on England's motorways and major A roads, improving safety for everyone."

Looking for an older story? Search our archives

Search for jobs, motors and property, or place an advert or family notice here.</s>Drivers have been left stuck on a motorway for hours after a skip lorry caught fire on the M6 .

Traffic was held on the northbound carriageway for around two hours while emergency services dealt with the fire between junctions 3 and 3a near Coventry .

Dramatic photos of the aftermath of the fire show a skip lorry burnt to the ground.

Fire crews from Warwickshire Fire and Rescue were called to tackle the blaze.

Both carriageways were blocked at around 2pm this afternoon to allow emergency services to access the scene, causing long queues on both approaches.

The southbound carriageway was opened shortly after but traffic stuck on the northbound carriageway was not released until after 4pm.

Officers from Highways England warned of long tailback and delays of around 90 minutes on the northbound carriageway, advising drivers to get off at junction 2.

You can follow live updates on the traffic problems here.

At the time of writing two lanes had been reopened on the northbound carriageway and traffic was moving slowly past the scene while officers waited for recovery.

Their latest update from Highways England on Twitter shortly before 5pm reads: "Lanes 2 and 3 NOW OPEN and motorway closure signals removed M6 Warwickshire northbound between J3 Coventry Bedworth and J3A (M42) following a skip lorry fire.

"Warks Fire and Rescue will remain on scene whilst recovery takes place in case it reignites.

Looking for an older story? Search our archives

Search for jobs, motors and property, or place an advert or family notice here.</s>Worcestershire Lorry Driver Jailed For 14 Years For Killing 8 In M1 Crash

A lorry driver from Worcestershire has been jailed for 14 years for a crash on the M1 which killed 8 people.

Ryszard Masierak, 31, has been sentence at Aylesbury Crown Court for causing the collision on the M1 in the early hours of August 26 last year.

FedEx Driver David Wagstaff, 54, was jailed for three years and four months for his part in the crash.

The minibus driven by Cyriac Joseph was crushed between their two vehicles when Masierak came to a complete stop in the slow lane while twice the legal alcohol limit.



Wagstaff had his vehicle on cruise control and was chatting on his hands-free set when he ploughed into the back of the minibus at 56mph, forcing it under Masierak's lorry near Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.



Mr Joseph was waiting with his hazard lights on for the chance to go around Masierak when his minibus was hit by Wagstaff.



Wagstaff would have had the obstruction ahead in his sight for nine seconds but did not brake or try to turn the wheel before the crash.



Six men, including Mr Joseph, and two women were killed in the smash, while four others including a four-year-old girl were seriously injured.



The remaining deceased were named as Panneerselvam Annamalai, Rishi Ranjeev Kumar, Vivek Baskaran, Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman, Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian, Subramaniyan Arachelvan and Tamilmani Arachelvan.



Judge Francis Sheridan said the crash was the most serious in the UK for more than 26 years.



The victims had been on their way from Nottingham to London to catch a coach to Disneyland Paris.



Polish national Masierak, of Evesham, Worcestershire, had been stationary in the slow line for more than 12 minutes, despite miles of hard shoulder being available to him.



At trial, it emerged he did not have a professional licence after it was revoked by the authorities for multiple driving offences including speeding in his HGV, driving his lorry in the fast lane, running a red light and ignoring driving hours limits.



The court heard that Masierak had been driving erratically for more than two hours before the accident, including driving the wrong way around a major roundabout, driving the wrong way down a motorway slip way and then turning on the slip way to retrace his path.



Multiple witnesses reported beeping or flashing their lights at Masierak while he was stationary on the M1, which he ignored, indicating he was either asleep or unconscious at the time.



Cider cans were found in the cab of his lorry, suggesting that he had been drinking while at the wheel.



Masierak was convicted of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after trial at Reading Crown Court earlier this month.



Wagstaff, from Stoke, admitted eight counts of causing death by careless driving and four counts of careless driving, but was cleared of more serious charges of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.



Judge Francis Sheridan said to Masierak: "What you have tried to do is blame everyone and everybody except yourself.



"In short, you are a persistent, unmitigated, if not very accomplished, liar."



He said he had shown "no remorse" and that there was "no mitigation" in his case.



Turning to Wagstaff, he said: "You had between nine and 11 second to see the vehicles ahead had you not been so distracted by using the phone, albeit on Bluetooth.



"You took no action whatsoever because you weren't concentrating on what was in front of you, they were there to be seen and you didn't see them."



He acknowledged Wagstaff's good driving record, remorse and guilty plea.



Masierak had described himself to the jury as a "careful driver" and claimed he had attempted to pull over onto the hard shoulder as he felt unwell, but passed out and could not remember anything.



The court heard that he had not told his employers AIM of any of his previous driving convictions.



He denied he was drunk, claiming the cider cans had been left by a previous driver even though they had his finger prints on them.



Wagstaff had been a HGV driver for 12 years with a clean licence until the crash.



He told the jury at the trial, which lasted a little under two weeks, that he could not remember what happened and put it down to a "lack of concentration".



His lawyer Ben Gordon told a jury at Reading Crown Court that Wagstaff's doctor reports he has "vivid and intrusive memories particularly from being at the side of the road" and about "the recovery of bodies".



He has since been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.



The victims' families were not present for the sentencing hearing.</s>Two lorry drivers are due to be sentenced on Friday for causing a pile-up that killed eight people in a minibus.

Ryszard Masierak, 31, and Fed Ex Driver David Wagstaff, 54, caused the collision on the M1 in the early hours of August 26 last year.

A minibus driven by Cyriac Joseph was crushed between their two vehicles when Masierak came to a complete stop in the slow lane while twice the legal limit.

Wagstaff had his vehicle on cruise control and was chatting on his handsfree set when he ploughed into the back of the minibus at 56mph, forcing it under Masierak’s lorry near Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire.

Six men and two women including Mr Joseph were killed in the smash, while four others including a four-year-old girl were seriously injured.

The remaining five deceased were named as Panneerselvam Annamalai, Rishi Ranjeev Kumar, Vivek Baskaran, Lavanyalakshmi Seetharaman, Karthikeyan Pugalur Ramasubramanian, Subramaniyan Arachelvan and Tamilmani Arachelvan.

They had been on their way from Nottingham to London to catch a coach to Disneyland.

Polish national Masierak, of Evesham, Worcestershire, had been stationary in the slow line for more than 12 minutes, despite miles of hard shoulder being available to him.

At trial, it emerged he did not have a professional licence after it was revoked by the authorities.

Maseriak was convicted of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving after trial at Reading Crown Court.

Wagstaff would have had the obstruction ahead in his sight for nine seconds but did not brake or try to turn the wheel before the crash.

Wagstaff, from Stoke, admitted eight counts of causing death by careless driving and four counts of careless driving, but was cleared of more serious charges of causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.

The pair are due to be sentenced at Aylesbury Crown Court at 2pm.</s>These are external links and will open in a new window

Two lorry drivers have been jailed over a crash on the M1 in Buckinghamshire that killed eight people last year.

Ryszard Masierak, 31, was jailed for 14 years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving.

David Wagstaff, 54, was sentenced to 40 months in prison after pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.

Eight people died when the minibus they were travelling in was hit by Wagstaff and shunted into Masierak's lorry, which had stopped on the inside lane.

Sentencing the pair at Aylesbury Crown Court, Judge Francis Sheridan described Masierak as a "persistent, unmitigated, if not very accomplished liar" who had shown "no remorse".

"What you have tried to do is blame everyone and everybody except yourself," he told him.

The trial heard Masierak, of Barnards Close, Evesham, Worcestershire, was twice the drink-drive limit and had stopped on the inside lane near Newport Pagnell for 12 minutes before the crash.

He admitted he had consumed alcohol and said he stopped because he was sweating, felt weak and had a headache.

Minibus driver Cyriac Joseph was waiting with his hazard lights on to go around Masierak's lorry when Wagstaff ploughed into the back of the van forcing it into and under Masierak's vehicle.

Wagstaff, of Derwent Street, Stoke-on-Trent, had been on a hands-free call for an hour at the time of impact and the trial heard he did not brake before crashing into the minibus.

Judge Sheridan said Wagstaff had between nine and 11 seconds to see the vehicles ahead had he "not been so distracted by using the phone".

"You took no action whatsoever because you weren't concentrating on what was in front of you - they were there to be seen and you didn't see them."
• 'There is no life for me now' - minibus driver's wife

Masierak was also disqualified from driving for 17 years after he was convicted of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Wagstaff admitted eight counts of causing death by careless driving and four counts of causing serious injury by careless driving. A jury cleared him of causing death by dangerous driving.

He was banned from driving for three years.
Two lorry drivers receive prison terms, one of 14 years, for killing eight people when their vehicles collided with a bus on the M1 in Buckinghamshire, England, in 2017.