Banned driver caught behind wheel of lorry was jailed five years ago for killing 81-year-old in stolen HGV

Timothy Green, of Castlehill, Eckington, was stopped by police in Sandtoft, North Lincolnshire, while driving the articulated Volvo HGV on November 11 last year.

When officers checked the 49-year-old’s details, they realised he was not only uninsured, but disqualified from driving at the time, after he killed an 81-year-old man seven years ago while at the wheel of an HGV.

In 2014, Green and another unknown man parked a stolen lorry across a 60mph country lane in the dark between the villages of Stainforth and Barnby Dun, near Doncaster.

The illicitly-gained vehicle was in the middle of the road as it had got stuck reversing out of a yard where it was being kept after Green had arranged its sale.

Tragically, it was here, at 6.45pm on December 14, that 81-year-old Gordon Poulton crashed his car into the lorry and was fatally injured.

Sheffield Crown Court later heard how the lorry was “invisible” amidst the foggy weather, as the lights on the trailer did not work.

The jammed lorry was branded a “death trap” by sentencing Judge Peter Kelson.

Further, Green was also disqualified at the time of the offence.

He claimed the driver of the lorry “did a runner” and he only had got into the driver’s seat to move the lorry but had not made any manoeuvres before the crash occurred.

After refusing to provide a full account of events during three police interviews, Green eventually plead guilty to causing death by dangerous driving on the basis that a ‘third party’ he was unwilling to name had got into difficulties reversing the lorry out of the yard before he was asked to take over.

The lorry had been stolen from Tata Steel in Scunthorpe four days earlier with six trailers taken from a site in Nottingham around the same time.

The court heard how Gordon Poulton had served in the Dragoon Guards for 22 years before setting up his own haulage company.

His son Adrian told the court: “He had worked all his life and had just got to the stage where he could enjoy and treat his grandchildren.

“He had a zest for life. He was not an average 81-year-old. He was very active and physically and mentally fit.

“He was the keystone of our family.”

Green – who at the time had 27 convictions for 43 offences – was jailed for five years for causing death by dangerous driving and handling stolen goods.

Now, Green has been jailed for another 18 weeks after he was caught at the wheel of a 44-ton Volvo HGV in Sandtofts, North Lincolnshire.

He was still disqualified from driving at the time of this latest offence as a result of his sentence in 2016 for Mr Poulton's death. He was also uninsured and the vehicle had no MOT.

He will also have to pay £200 in court costs and surcharges.

His latest case was heard at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court.