Pensioner died when rules were ignored

COURT: Driver of bin lorry failed to check if it was safe to reverse and killed man, 80

A bin lorry driver was yesterday facing jail, after admitting that his ignoring safety rules resulted in the death of an 80-year-old stroke victim who he rammed and knocked off his mobility scooter when he suddenly reversed.

Scott Hamilton, who was driving a Stirling Council recycling lorry, failed to check that it was clear behind him before backing to let another vehicle pass.

Hamilton, 44, had to manoeuvre to give the car space to get by on a single track road at Sheriffmuir in Perthshire.

He asked his mate, Lee McEwan, to check the nearside mirror – but neither of them had noticed that retired teacher Peter Wills was behind them.

The 7.5 tonne truck collided with Mr Wills’ four-miles-per-hour runabout with a “thud”.

The impact broke his neck, impacted his spinal cord, and shattered his ribs – massive injuries that stopped him breathing and led to his death in minutes.

Hamilton, of Bonnybridge, Stirlingshire, had denied causing the elderly man’s death by dangerous driving.

But yesterday on the second day of his trial at the High Court in Stirling before Lord Ericht, the Crown accepted his plea of guilty to the lesser offence of causing death by careless driving.

Sentence was deferred until a sitting of the High Court in Stirling on October 25th, and he was banned from driving immediately.

The offence carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment.

The court heard that since the tragedy, Stirling Council recycling lorries had been fitted with sensors to warn drivers of obstacles behind them.

Scott Hamlton failed to observe health and safety rules.

Peter Wills died when the lorry struck his motobility scooter.