THE headteacher of tragedy-hit St James's School in Farnworth spoke of his relief and delight after coach driver Jim Shaw walked free from a French court yesterday.

As reported in later editions of yesterday's BEN, the driver at the wheel of the coach which plunged down a ravine in the French Alps, killing three teenagers, was fined £1,230.

Prosecutors in France were calling for a two months suspended prison sentence and a fine when 43-year-old Mr Shaw, of Droylsden, Manchester, faced charges of involuntary homicide and failing to control a vehicle.

Three pupils from St James's School - Nicola Moore, aged 16, and Keith Ridding and Robert Boardman, both 14 - were killed and dozens were injured when the coach crashed during a trip to France in July. Mr Shaw, who faced a possible maximum sentence of three years in jail, said in a court hearing shortly before Christmas he had been shattered by the tragedy and had been unable to drive another coach since the accident.

St James's headteacher, David Bowes, said both Mr Shaw and the families of the three victims had been in the thoughts of the school over the Christmas period.

He said: "We are delighted now that Mr Shaw will be able to get on with his life and rebuild his life. Equally, we are pleased for the three families who have lost their youngsters, that they too will feel that this is a moment they can move on from.

"They have been in our thoughts over this Christmas period. It must have been a very difficult time for them, and certainly we missed them at the school. We are glad all the heartache is over. "We thank God that the French courts have been sensible. I think it was a sensible sentence. Now we must continue what we are here to do and that is to educate pupils and give them better opportunities. It marks a clear end to a very tragic and difficult set of circumstances."

Mr Bowes said he had not heard reaction from the parents of the three victims, who have never called for an exemplary sentence for Mr Shaw.

He said he knew one of the parents had written to Mr Shaw supporting him and offering him understanding.

Mr Bowes added: "I would say to him at this moment that I'm very relieved that this is over and all the time we have regarded this as a tragic accident and we will continue to do that."

He added that a fund aimed at providing a permanent memorial to the children currently stands at £10,000.

The memorial may take the shape of a garden or stained glass windows with three red roses used as a symbol at the time of the accident to bring the school together.

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