Lorry driver killed motorist when he crashed while looking at pornography

A lorry driver watching pornography on his mobile phone killed a motorist when he veered onto the hard shoulder and crashed into his truck, a court heard.

Former soldier Felix Gillon has been jailed for eight years after being convicted of causing the death of Kerry Pemberton by dangerous driving on May 3 last year.

The 56-year-old had looked up "porn star candy love" just four minutes before the collision, and a further 25 webpages were accessed just after - including pornographic images and galleries.

Witnesses to the incident saw Gillon drift in and out of the hard shoulder between two and four times on the M69 southbound carriageway at around 3.13pm.

Gillon's Scania vehicle then struck Mr Pemberton's Iveco lorry, with the 55-year-old eventually being crushed against the safety barrier.

Mr Pemberton, of Birmingham, had survived the initial impact but was trapped under wreckage.

He was eventually freed by firefighters but died of a heart attack in the ambulance on the way to hospital.

Gillon had been spotted by an off-duty officer, throwing his phone away after the incident in order to dispose of the incriminating evidence.

The former Army sergeant, of Bedworth, Warks, was also disqualified from driving for eight years.

Mr Justice Haddon-Cave, sentencing at Leicester Crown Court, said: "You told a series of lies to seek to cover your tracks but the jury saw through it all."

He said Gillon had "carefully, deliberately and surreptitiously" disposed of his phone after the incident.

The judge added: "You have privately expressed remorse but it would have been better demonstrated in criminal proceedings."

In a victim impact statement, Mr Pemberton's partner Cheryl, said: "His death has been the truly hardest time for all of us.

"I just sit and wait for him to come home every day and I am broken-hearted.

"Kerry brought me anything I wanted over the years. I miss the kiss I would get when he came home from work, the cuddles with his long, powerful arms and his smile.

"He was a very affectionate man and we all miss him dearly."