A fatal accident inquiry into an incident involving the former Ross-shire haulage company Munro & Sons (Highland) has started at Tain Sheriff Court in Scotland.
The inquiry is the latest stage in a series of legal moves following the 2006 accident, where a 30-tonne digger rolled off the back of a low-loader trailer and crushed a car being driven by Julia Mackay. Mackay was injured and her friend, Christina Fraser, was killed.
At the court case after the accident, it was revealed that the truck was overloaded and that the chains used to secure the digger were not strong enough.
The firm was subsequently involved in another serious accident, where a drawbar trailer became detached from its prime mover and careered down the A9 trunk road near Inverness.
Munro & Sons has already lost its O-licence following a decision from Scottish Traffic Commissioner Joan Aitken ('Haulier to appeal TC's decision' CM 27 May), and, before that, was fined £30,000 for health and safety offences.
Furthermore, former director Pamela Munroe was disqualified for two years, while directors David and William Munro were disqualified for seven years. Driver Kenneth Finlayson was disqualified for 12 months.
Aitken had also warned operators to be wary of "providing a front for continued operation" by Munro.
The present inquiry is not a further prosecution, but under Scottish law, fatal accident inquiries are held to establish as much detail about incidents as possible.
Last week's inquiry heard from several witnesses, but was then adjourned because advocates were not available after that. It will re-convene on 1 and 2 October and then again on 19 and 20 October. After that, the Sheriff produces a written report on the case, establishing as far as possible exactly what happened and why.
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