Jail for lorry driver who killed horse on M1

Chris Tindall
May 29, 2024

An HGV driver has been jailed after he caused a collision on the M1 which led to a horse being killed.

Nicholas Cole, 47, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving following the incident in July 2023 between junction 14 and 15 in Northamptonshire.

Northants police said National Highways had closed lane one of the motorway due to a broken down horsebox.

However, despite a red X gantry sign and a parked highways vehicle behind the horsebox with flashing amber and red lights, Cole failed to move out of the lane.

At the last moment, he attempted to steer his lorry out of the path of the stationary vehicles, but he clipped the Highways vehicle and crashed into the horsebox.

The driver and passengers were waiting on the bank and were unharmed, but their horse was killed in the collision.

Cole claimed he had been listening to the radio before the collision and that the next thing he knew he saw the Highways vehicle and swerved to avoid it.

He was sentenced at Northampton Crown Court to 42 weeks in prison and suspended from driving for 21 months.

PS Richard Hill from Northamptonshire Police’s Roads Policing Team said: “This was a shocking collision that sadly resulted in a horse being killed.

“It’s a stark example of how important it is to keep your focus on the road when you’re driving and to ensure you read the gantry signs displayed on the motorway. Cole would have had plenty of time to see the red X and yet still caused this collision.”

About the Author

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Chris Tindall

Chris Tindall started writing for the haulage and logistics industry in 2002 and has covered a broad range of significant issues, including GPS jamming by criminals, platooning and Brexit.

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