Rubbish driving by bin men lands fines of £576

The drivers of two refuse lorries were ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £576 after they pleaded guilty at Mold Crown Court to careless driving. The vehicles had collided with each other while returning to their depot. The court was told that the lorry driven by Gary Wolstenholme of Llandudno embedded itself into the cab of the lorry driven by driver Alan Bond of Kinmel Bay, trapping him inside. Bond had to be cut free by fire fighters.

Prosecuting, Elen Owen alleged both men were driving too close and too fast as they returned to their depot at Mochdre. She said that they had been working for private contractors in the Abergele area in September last year. They were returning to base when Wolstenholme's lorry collided with a private car waiting to turn right at a junction in Llandulus.

Wolstenholme failed to see the car in time and he jumped on the brakes to try to avoid an impact. Bond was travelling about 15 yards behind and he ran into the back of Wolstenholme's vehicle. There was very little he could have done because of the speed and closeness of the vehicles. Tachograph records indicated the first lorry was travelling at 52mph and the second at 55 mph.

Karl Scholz, for Wolstenholme, said he had been concentrating on a bus in a bus stop to his left at the approach to the junction where there was also a brow of a hill and a bend. When he looked ahead again he saw the car waiting to turn right and it was too late to avoid an impact, The speeds suggested were not accepted. Brian Treadwell, for Bond, said he accepted that he was travelling too close and could not stop in time.

Recorder Lord Kingsland QC fined Wolstenholme £276 and Bond £180. Both men were ordered to pay £60 towards the cost of the prosecution and had their driving licences endorsed with six penalty points.

Guilty pleas to a lesser offence accepted

Both men were originally charged with dangerous driving but the prosecution accepted guilty pleas to the lesser charge of careless driving, thus saving the cost of a trial.