Lorry driver banned for three years for causing farmer's death in crash

The fatal crash resulted in the death of farmer Phelim Brady
The fatal crash resulted in the death of farmer Phelim Brady

A County Down motorist involved in a fatal road collision which killed an elderly farmer has been banned from driving for three years.

William Mark Murphy was driving a lorry that collided with a tractor pulling a trailer on the A4 dual carriageway in County Tyrone on 25 June 2014.

The fatal crash resulted in the death of farmer Phelim Brady, who was standing on the tractor's drawbar and was killed after it was hit from behind.

69-year-old Phelim Brady, from Caledon, was a father-of-four.

The court gave 53-year-old Murphy, from Castlewellan, a suspended four-month jail sentence for causing death by careless driving. He's also been given a driving ban that will last for three years.

Dungannon Crown Court heard Murphy attempted to overtake the tractor at the junction of the Killybracken Road between Dungannon and Ballygawley, but was forced to stop overtaking after failing to see an oncoming car travelling in the outside lane.

After attempting and failing to overtake, he quickly moved back into the inside lane.

Tragically, Murphy was too close to the back of tractor towing the trailer, and failed to brake in time to prevent the fatal crash.

The court heard that Mr Brady sustained "multiple injuries as a result of the collision" and died at the scene.

During the sentencing, the judge paid tribute to the "tremendously dignified and decent" Brady family, and that the whole family had "lost the bedrock of the family unit".