Driver in crash that killed two teenagers had twice been banned
The motorist accused of killing two teenagers by careless driving while over the alcohol limit had been banned twice for drink-driving before tragedy struck, a jury heard.
Stephen Lloyd committed the earlier offences in 1996 and 2002 and unsuccessfully reapplied for a full driving licence in June 2017, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told.
The 60-year-old’s application was rejected following a medical examination and his appeal against this decision failed in October 2017, around five months before the late night fatal crash outside his home in Broadway West, Walsall, it was revealed.
Judge James Burbidge QC asked the defendant: “Did those two offences not put you on your guard about driving when you had been drinking?
"It appears you were not allowed to drive. You ignored that fact on this day.”
Lloyd replied: “Yes. I can’t explain why.”
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The judge observed: “Some people may think you have a cavalier attitude as to whether you are fit to drive at any time. Do you want to tell the jury if that is the case?" The defendant answered: "No."
Lloyd told the jury he felt “fine” when driving friends home in his red Rover 25 but was unable to “specifically recall” how many drinks he'd had before setting off.
When he returned from the half-hour trip he drove across the path of a motorcycle while turning into the drive of his home shortly after 11.30pm on March 13 last year, the court heard.
Alexander Lees, 19, who was in control of the Suzuki, and his 18-year-old pillion passenger Tarik Campbell were both “catastrophically and fatally” injured. The bike was estimated to have been travelling at up to 81mph in a 30 limit before the smash.
Lloyd maintained he never saw or heard the motorcycle despite its headlamp being illuminated.
He said he then went inside his home to drink more alcohol before blowing 82 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, over twice the legal limit of 35.
He denied this was to disguise the fact he was over the limit.
He gave three conflicting accounts of how much he downed after the crash and agreed his drinking pattern was "unreliable".
He denied a suggestion from prosecutor Mr Paul Spratt that he collided with the motorcycle because his judgement was clouded by his drinking.
Lloyd pleads not guilty to causing the death of Alexander and Tarik through careless driving while over the drink-drive limit and the case continues.
