A STOLEN HGV was travelling at more than twice the speed limit when it lost control and killed a pedestrian, a jury was told this week.

Power walker Jacqueline Wileman, 58, was walking on her daily route on Common Road, Brierley, when she was hit by the HGV at about 1.30pm on September 14 last year.

Karn Hill, of East View, Cudworth; David Mellor, of Bank End Road, Worsbrough Dale; Wayne Carroll, of Chestnut Street, Grimethorpe and Alan Mawhinney, of Calder Crescent, Kendray, were travelling in the vehicle at the time of the crash which also badly damaged a house.

Hill, 23, previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving - meaning he will be sentenced following the trial and has subsequently not been required to attend Sheffield Crown Court - and a jury was told that a provisional licence he had held to drive normal-sized vehicles had expired. The HGV was allegedly taken from Barnsley-based City Freight Services three days before the accident by Mellor, 48, who was employed by the firm. Mellor has been appearing at court this week alongside fellow passengers Carroll, 29, and 55-year-old Mawhinney, who all deny aggravated vehicle taking.

Prosecutor Jason Pitter said the vehicle was given to Mellor, who was a HGV driver, to carry out a collection of scrap metal but, having failed to attend the appointment, his employers grew suspicious and reported it as stolen a day later. The vehicle - which was witnessed ‘driving erratically’ in the run-up to the collision - had fled from several fuel stations in Barnsley without anyone attempting to pay, according to Mr Pitter.

Having had its registration reported, a police officer travelling on Common Road came across the vehicle and turned around to follow it, but the driver sped up and drove at ‘more than double the 30mph limit’ before it failed to negotiate the bend.

The officer, PC Paul Skeoch, told a jury yesterday he ‘came across it by chance’, “I knew it was stolen and had been involved in a series of crimes and the majority of cases such as this fail to stop. I was alone and wasn’t going to attempt to stop it, so I stayed far back enough so it was in my view.

“Having approached the left-hand bend before the scene of the crash, I saw a car with damage and pulled over to see if the driver required assistance. Seconds after, members of the public came running over and told me the HGV had hit a house. I established three cars in total had been hit, and a woman was clearly deceased. Two males jumped out of the cabin and I shouted at both to stop, but one ran and the other was apprehended by members of the public.

“The man who ran was stopped and handcuffed by me after 50 yards or so, and another male had been detained by the public. Another was trapped inside the cabin.”

Witnesses told a jury this week that the HGV had left ‘utter carnage’ in its wake, causing several oncoming motorists to take evasive action before it ploughed into three vehicles, Mrs Wileman and the house.

Mr Pitter added: “Karn Hill was driving the HGV and had the three defendants in the vehicle with him. Such was the speed in which it was travelling, it failed to make it round the corner.

“The victim was dragged along the road but was killed immediately. It’s easy to say she was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but she wasn’t. She was meant to be there as she was doing what she always did - it’s the defendants who were doing wrong, in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”

The trial, which is expected to last up to three weeks, continues.


Motorist sees tragic incident unfold

A LOUD bang was heard by witnesses as the ‘out of control’ HGV struck the house, according to a motorist who saw the incident unfold.

Emma Clarke, who was driving on Common Road, Brierley, at the time of the incident on September 14 of last year, told a jury that she had narrowly avoided being hit by the speeding truck.

“I was heading towards South Kirkby and saw the HGV take the corner at speed,” she said. “It came onto the other side of the road and the next thing I knew there was a huge bang.

“I parked up and ran towards where the HGV was and saw it had damaged a house.”

Miss Clarke, who appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Tuesday to give evidence in the trial involving David Mellor, Alan Mawhinney and Wayne Carroll, said dozens of residents had come out of their homes to help.

“I saw three people get out of the HGV who attempted to run,” she added. “Members of the public were there and they got hold of them.”

Another witness, Rhiannon McKay, told a jury yesterday that she had been driving on Common Road towards the HGV moments before the crash.

“If I had not have taken evasive action I would have been killed - the HGV was on my side of the road and I had to swerve into a grass embankment to avoid being hit. It was as if they thought it was funny - it was a fleeting glance but I saw three of the men in the front laughing as they went by me.”