Coach driver served with 1 year jail sentence for dangerous driving
A coach driver for transport giant National Express has been served with a 1 year jail sentence after his erratic behaviour behind the wheel of a coach service, travelling between Manchester and Aberdeen last June, left his passengers fearing for their lives.
53-year-old coach driver Brian Larred pleaded guilty to dangerous driving. He was jailed earlier this month following a hearing at Carlisle Crown Court. Legal action was taken against the driver from Oldham in Manchester after an incident of road rage which occurred whilst Larred was driving a coach between Carlisle and Gretna.
The court was told how the coach driver attempted to bully other road-users during the trip. Larred tried to intimidate an elderly driver towing a caravan by repeatedly overtaking and slowing down in front of the vehicle. At one point Larred even undertook the towing vehicle on the hard shoulder of the motorway, much to the terror of the 25 passengers onboard the coach.
Larred ignored the pleas from his passengers to drive sensibly after performing a number of dangerous driving manoeuvres. Some were so scared that they even called the police from onboard the coach. The whole nightmare was captured by a camera onboard the coach, the footage was shown to the court.
After the coach was pulled over, one irate passenger punched the driver in the face repeatedly as he was so angry that the lives of his children had been put in danger by the reckless behaviour of Larred. The passenger was later cautioned for common assault.
A spokesperson for National Express confirmed that driver Larred ceased working for the organisation back in August and branded his behaviour as “unacceptable.”
Brian Larred will serve a year in prison for the incident and been banned from driving for 3 years.