Sean Joyce acted for lorry driver in bizarre motorway accident

Who? Sean Joyce, 37, road transport regulatory partner at north-west firm Stephensons.

Why is he in the news? Acted for a lorry driver who faced losing his heavy goods vehicle licence, after having unwittingly pushed a car and its driver for hundreds of yards along a motorway before being alerted to what was happening by the flashing lights of other road users.

John Tomlinson was driving a 44-tonne tanker on the A1(M) near Wetherby in Yorkshire in January this year, when a Renault Clio joined the motorway from a slip road. The two vehicles came into contact and the Clio, having pivoted 90 degrees, became attached to the lorry, which then pushed it sideways up the motorway. Tomlinson, who had neither heard nor felt any impact from the collision, continued driving until another motorist flashed his hazard lights. Tomlinson pulled over on to the hard shoulder, where he was surprised to discover a car attached to the front of his truck. He reversed his vehicle, freeing the car and allowing its uninjured driver, veterinary surgeon Rhona Jane Williams, to step out. He then positioned the tanker so as to shield Williams’ car from oncoming traffic.

At a hearing in Warrington last week, traffic commissioner Beverley Bell ruled that Tomlinson should not be disqualified from holding a heavy goods vehicle licence. She praised his clear thinking on discovering the Clio attached to his lorry and accepted that the weight of the truck, combined with the cab’s height and sound insulation, made it unlikely that Tomlinson would have known that the two vehicles had collided.

Dealing with the media: ‘When the story first broke, the incident was interpreted as road rage. My client had to wait until last week’s hearing to have the facts of the case made public.’

Thoughts on the case: ‘This case has put enormous pressure on John Tomlinson and his family. He had been suspended from work since the incident happened in January and stood accused of road rage and endangering the other driver’s life. It was difficult for him to maintain a dignified silence, as I had advised him, rather than speak out to defend himself. The traffic commissioner has now cleared his name and he can carry on with his life.’