Accused truck driver in Portsmouth fatal crash '˜crept forward' out of junction

AN ACCUSED driver told police he thought it was clear when he pulled out of a junction in a fatal crash, a court heard.
By The Newsroom
Published 8th Aug 2017, 18:59 BST
Updated 12th Sep 2017, 11:50 BST
The Colas truck that Simon Boyd was driving when he was involved in a collision which killed moped rider Gary Martin. This picture was shown to the juryThe Colas truck that Simon Boyd was driving when he was involved in a collision which killed moped rider Gary Martin. This picture was shown to the jury
The Colas truck that Simon Boyd was driving when he was involved in a collision which killed moped rider Gary Martin. This picture was shown to the jury

Simon Boyd’s two-hour interview with police, held about five hours after the 6.20am crash, was read to a jury yesterday.

The 39-year-old, of Chaffinch Green, Waterlooville, is accused of causing the death of Gary Martin, 52, by careless driving in a crash on October 26 last year.

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The prosecution at Portsmouth Crown Court alleges Mr Martin ‘had no chance’ when Boyd pulled out of Kirpal Road into Eastern Road.

SImon BoydSImon Boyd
SImon Boyd

He denies the charge.

Reading Boyd’s words to the jury this afternoon, prosecutor Charles Gabb said: ‘I looked in my right, that’s where I was indicating, looked left, I looked further down.

‘While it was clear I didn’t see anything else coming, bicycles, youngsters, you don’t know, riding their bikes. It was all clear as far as I was aware.’

Boyd, who said he was in first gear, added: ‘To be honest with you I didn’t see any lights coming towards me that’s why I pulled out, it was clear enough for me to pull, in my eye it was clear.

SImon BoydSImon Boyd
SImon Boyd

‘When I pulled out there was a smack. That’s it.’

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Asked about his condition, Boyd said: ‘Just to be scared, shaking little bit.’

But he said physically he was ‘as fine as a whistle’.

He told police he collected the Colas-branded Mitsubishi from the firm’s depot and had been emptying dog excrement bins.

He said he was filling in for another worker on holiday, but had driven the Mitsubishi for up to 12 days in total.

Boyd, who did not want a lawyer in the interview, added it was a ‘busy road’ and that he had stopped with his handbrake on before pulling out.

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He said he ‘crept forward’ before the crash with Mr Martin’s Yamaha motor scooter.

He said: ‘I got smacked but I didn’t know whose fault it was.’

Earlier in the day jurors saw CCTV of Mr Martin’s final journey on his scooter from Gosport Ferry at The Hard to Eastern Road via Goldsmith Avenue and Velder Avenue.

Photographs of the two damaged vehicles were also shown to the jury.

(Proceeding)