LONDON - A fireman has admitted causing the death of a farmer
who was crushed to death by a herd of cows after they were startled
by fire engine sirens.
Julian Lawford pleaded guilty at Exeter Crown Court to a charge
of causing the death of Harold Lee by careless driving, the Press
Association reported on Tuesday.
Lee, 75, was trampled to death by his cows as he walked them
along a country road near his home in Burtle, Somerset.
Lawford, 49, of Glastonbury, Somerset, was due to stand trial
accused of manslaughter by gross negligence but admitted the lesser
charge, which was accepted by the prosecution.
Richard Smith, defending, told the court: "Such a plea reflects
that he drove his fire engine forward with its lights flashing with
the herd in front of him, which caused them to act as they did,
causing the death."
The incident happened on a minor road in August last year when
the farmer was moving a herd of 100 dairy cows from a field toward
their milking parlour.
He was airlifted to hospital with serious head and chest
injuries and died six days later.
Source:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/rtrs/20101215/tod-odd-us-britain-fireman-a929486.html