Cleared van driver's relief at Shropshire death crash verdict
A van driver has spoken of his relief after being cleared of causing the death of a colleague when the vehicle veered "inexplicably" to the opposite side of a road before hitting a tree in Shropshire.
Security firm worker Paul Fentham, 56, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash on the A49 in Church Stretton on January 30, 2012.
Markland Burke, who was driving the SSG Co-operative Group cash in a transit carrier was yesterday acquitted at his trial after a medical expert said he may have suffered temporary loss of consciousness.
Mr Burke, 53, a former soldier, of Handsworth Wood, Birmingham, was accused of causing the death of Mr Fentham, of Great Barr, Birmingham, who had been in the rear of the Mercedes Sprinter.
Cardiologist for the defence Dr Khalid Khan, of Wrexham Maelor Hospital, said Burke had been admitted to hospital in 2009 with an irregular heartbeat and may have blacked out seconds before the crash. He added Burke may have had an "episode of syncope".
Cardiologist for the prosecution, Dr Lee Graham, of Leeds, told Stafford Crown Court it was "difficult to completely exclude syncope as the cause" of the crash.
Prosecutor Mr Tariq Shakoor said that on the basis of the evidence of both doctors the case could not proceed.
Judge Simon Tonking directed the jury to return a verdict of not guilty.
Burke said: "I feel relieved, but I'm still very sad."
