[kellyhound]

Christopher Tribe, 57, was given an 18-month driving ban and ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge, along with £85 costs.

Footage captured the moment a lorry driver caused a terrifying five-vehicle pile-up after failing to perform a crucial safety check.

Christopher Tribe, 57, was behind the wheel of the HGV with a fogged-up windscreen when he collided with a white minibus.

The incident, which occurred in December last year, caused glue to spill all over the B5129 at Sandycroft, Flintshire, in Wales.

In court, it was revealed that Tribe failed to take adequate steps to clear his windscreen while driving the lorry, resulting in "poor visibility".

Dashcam footage showed the HGV driver changing gears just seconds before the crash, with the impact immediately shattering the window, knocking off his cap, and sending items flying around his cabin.

Tribe can then be heard exclaiming "oh shit" as he tries to regain control of the lorry.

The minibus ended up in a ditch with its back door crushed, leaving the driver and one passenger with multiple injuries.

Two other cars were also damaged in the incident, resulting in injuries for another motorist.

Tribe informed police that he remembered braking before the collision. He expressed remorse to the other drivers and regretted the injuries sustained by the other motorists.

Patrick Geddes, defending, stated that the low sun prior to the crash made driving conditions challenging. He informed the court that Tribe was "clearly remorseful".

He said: "He's not a man who has troubled the court often and he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He's clearly remorseful and didn't minimise his behaviour. He's fully aware this could have resulted in serious injury – or worse.

"His driving was dangerous and caused a collision. A contributory factor was that the sun was very low; it added to the poor visibility. It doesn't absolve Mr Tribe, but it is a factor. There is mention of his phone.

"He did do that; it's not anything what resulted in the collision. He checked it whilst travelling, and he shouldn't have been doing that."

Lucy Bureau, Chair of the Magistrates, told Tribe: "It was a fairly horrific incident - I'm sure you agree."

Tribe, from Buckley, Flintshire, admitted to driving a motor vehicle dangerously but escaped jail and received a 36 week sentence, suspended for 18 months.

He was given an 18-month driving ban and ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge, along with £85 costs. Tribe will be required to take a compulsory extended retest before he is permitted to drive again.

[yah]

Fucking oops!