The driver of a lorry which smashed into the back of an RAF coach, killing three air cadets, failed to brake until a split second before impact, Peterborough Crown Court heard yesterday.

Lorry driver Simon Bland, 37, of Peterborough, and coach driver Jeanette Morris, 48, of Stamford, Lincolnshire, each deny three charges of causing death by dangerous driving.

Wayne Maynard, 18, of Brent Place, Barnet, died along with 15-year-olds Christopher Colmer, from Pinner, and Jason Adnitt, from Edmonton, in the collision on August 21 last year. 19 cadets were injured.

Defending Mrs Morris, Joanna Greenberg suggested the lorry driver had not been concentrating. "You didn't start to brake until you were within a quarter of a second of the impact," she said.

"You didn't see the coach because you weren't looking. You were cruising along with your cruise control set at 56mph without responding in any way to other road users."

Mr Bland yesterday said that he had not braked his 38-tonne lorry because he was trying to steer around the coach which the court heard had stopped, effectively blocking the left hand lane of the busy A1 dual carriageway outside Peterborough. He was also distracted by another lorry which had stopped following a minor collision with the coach.

"As soon as I saw the coach the only option I had was to try to steer around it," Mr Bland said. "If I had only braked it would never have stopped in time. I pulled sharply to the right with my foot on the brake and clipped the back of the coach."

Members of 1374 (East Barnet) squadron Air Training Corps, based in Gloucester Road, Barnet, had been away on summer camp. Air cadet James Topping, 16, of Meadway, Barnet, spent months in hospital following the crash. The case continues.

November 21, 2001 18:37

MATTHEW NIXSON