A Blackburn construction worker crashed the lorry into a Whalley Range home
Muhammad Afzal was driving his blue Mercedes-Benz Vito van along Calder Street on Tuesday, February 8, shortly after 6pm when his brakes failed and he crashed into some bushes and a garden wall, crashing straight into the side of a house in the Wylie Range. ,burning black.
Preston Crown Court heard how Hussain Patel, who had been watching the house for his parents who were on holiday, received a phone call from his niece telling her a lorry had crashed into the kitchen.
Hanifa Patel, prosecuting, told the court: “He made his way into the family home and saw the van built into the side kitchen extension.
“It came from Calder Street and hit the bushes in front of the house and then into the kitchen, smashing through the wall.
“Police arrived at the scene very quickly and the truck driver was trapped and had to be rescued.
“There was a passenger in the front seat who appeared to have broken his legs, but this could not be confirmed because he failed to provide a statement or medical records to the prosecution.”
CCTV footage played to the court showed a man walking along the footpath moments before the truck drove into the house at speed.
Read more: Family horror when truck crashes into kitchen
Patel continued: “The driver, Afzal, was arrested and said his brakes failed.
“Police conducted their own investigations into the vehicle and concluded that it was due to have an MOT in December of the previous year, but had not done so.
“It was clear the brakes had failed as the reservoir was almost empty of brake fluid and a warning light was illuminated on the dashboard, despite there being rubbish obscuring it.
“The metal brake pipe had corroded allowing brake fluid to leak.
“If it had gone to an MOT it would have been discovered by mechanics.
“The defendant said he topped up the brake fluid when the light came on.”
Afzal, 54, of Romney Walk, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving.
Julie Taylor, mitigating, said the insurance company covered repairs to the house because it had been uninhabitable for some time.
She said her client had six children and worked hard as a construction worker to support his family and support other family in Pakistan.
“He prioritized earning money to support his family rather than taking care of his car,” she told the court.
Sentencing, District Judge Richard Close said: “The lorry was not close to the road, you knew it did not have its dashboard on it, you knew that if it had been put to the test it would fail, which means you knew.” It was not in proper condition to drive on the road.
“You said that you were somewhat aware of the brake problem when you filled up the brake fluid, but you should know that brake fluid should not need to be topped up on a regular basis, but only changed once every few years.
He continued: “If there was a need to fill it, it means that there is a leak and it is not working properly, and you must be aware of that, and therefore there was a high risk of a collision.
“It is only by luck that this collision was with an object, first with a garden wall and then with the side of the house, causing extensive damage to it.
“A few seconds earlier a pedestrian had passed by. If it had been earlier, I would have killed them and would have begun a seven-year prison sentence.”
Afzal was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
He was disqualified from driving for 12 months and must take an extended probation to get his licence back.
