Lorry driver responsible for fatal M69 crash watched clips of porn star Candy Love while driving

A lorry driver involved in a fatal crash on the M69 while watching porn on his cell phone, has been sentenced to eight years in prison. Felix Gillon of Bedworth was found guilty of causing the death of Kerry Pemberton in May 2016 after he ploughed his vehicle into the other man's lorry.

According to court documents, the 56-year-old had made an internet search for "porn star Candy Love" four minutes before the crash. Following the accident, an off-duty officer saw him throwing his phone away in a bid to dispose of the incriminating evidence.

Witnesses recalled seeing Gillon's lorry drift in and out of the hard shoulder between two and four times on the M69 southbound carriageway before his Scania banged into 55-year-old Pemberton's Iveco lorry.

The impact crushed the man against the safety barrier where he was trapped because of the wreckage. Emergency services were able to remove him from under the pile of metal but he died of a heart attack while being transported to the hospital.

"You told a series of lies to seek to cover your tracks but the jury saw through it all," Leicester Crown Court Justice Haddon-Cave said during the sentencing on 14 December. "You have privately expressed remorse but it would have been better demonstrated in criminal proceedings," the judge added, referring to Gillon's attempts to "carefully, deliberately and surreptitiously" dispose his phone.

The accused had also thrown away the SIM card, which was recovered during a search at the accident spot. An analysis of the card confirmed Gillon was watching porn while driving and also sending and receiving text messages.

"Nothing will bring back Kerry Pemberton, but a measure of justice has been served in this case," the judge noted.

Gillon, who served in the Army as part of the Royal Engineers between 1988 and 1991, has also been banned from driving for four years, effective after his release from prison.

"Not only did Gillon blatantly disregard the law he attempted to cover his tracks by getting rid of evidence. His actions that day, no doubt, resulted in the death of an innocent man," Detective Constable Seamus Burns of Leicestershire Police said in a news release.

"I am pleased he has been found guilty of the offences and I hope this case will highlight the dangers road users are putting themselves and others in when they ignore the law which is there to ensure the safety of all."