A TOW truck driver involved in an horrific road crash which killed a Bolton mother has been convicted of causing her death by dangerous driving.

John Sherman was towing a Seddon Atkinson box lorry on Chorley New Road, Horwich, when it broke away and smashed head-on into a Ford Sierra driven by Gillian Dunn.

Mrs Dunn, aged 44, of Lord Street, Kearsley, died a week after the crash in September 1995 and probably had no opportunity to see what took place, Preston Crown Court was told.

After an eight day trial, Sherman, aged 70, of Trent Way, Kearsley, was found guilty by a jury of causing death by dangerous driving. He had denied the charge.

Sentence was adjourned for reports and he was granted unconditional bail until the next hearing.

Judge Ronald Livesey QC, warned Sherman that a custodial sentence was "very much on the cards."

The jury failed to agree a verdict on haulage firm boss Ronald Hennessey, 55, of Shardford Close, Bolton.

He is also accused of causing death by dangerous driving, with the prosecution claiming that he instructed Sherman about how to tow the Seddon Atkinson lorry prior to the crash.

A decision will be made next week on whether a re-trial will take place.

The trial heard that Mrs Dunn, who had two daughters, was returning with a friend from an antiques fair when the crash occurred on September 13, 1995. Sherman was driving a wrecker's truck which was towing the broken down lorry.

Prosecutor Peter Wright alleged that the two vehicles were not safely connected together and both Sherman and Hennessey had taken a 'massive risk' by towing the lorry in this way.

He told the jury: "It was plainly dangerous to drive in this way. What took place in this case was a recipe for disaster, and disaster there was."

On Chorley New Road, the lorry broke away from the tow truck and careered out of control into Mrs Dunn's car.

Mr Wright said: "Gillian Dunn had absolutely no chance. She had little or no opportunity to see what took place and in the context of this case, that is a small mercy.

"The runaway truck just wiped her out."

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