Lorry driver cleared after falling bricks injury

Slawomir Kotlowski was on trial at Southampton Crown Court

An HGV driver has been found not guilty of causing serious injury by careless driving after a pallet of bricks fell off the back of his lorry and struck a woman.

Slawomir Kotlowski, 41, was driving between Ashurt and Lyndhurst in the New Forest when the incident happened, Southampton Crown Court heard.

The bricks landed on Chloe Evans, who was 23 at the time, and had been walking along Southampton Road.

On the two-year anniversary of the incident, the jury of seven women and five men returned their verdict of not guilty after 30 minutes of deliberations.

• Driver on phone as bricks struck woman, court told

• Woman struck by HGV's brick load remains in critical condition

Miss Evans sobbed in court as the judge foreman cleared Mr Kotlowski of the charge after a one week trial.

She was comforted by family and friends as the defence barrister Ian Bridge told the court Mr Kotlowski was "absolutely heartbroken" by the incident.

Mr Bridge said his client "wished it to be on the record" that he apologised to Miss Evans.

Chloe Evans, aged 23 at the time, was seriously injured by the falling bricks

At the time of the incident Mr Kotlowski had worked for Myers transport for 10 years and had a clean drivers licence.

In character statements from the owners of the company, the court heard the father-of-three described as a "conscientious, kind, helpful and hard working man".

The court previously heard witnesses Robert Dilworth and Leon Palmer were travelling in a Ford van just behind Mr Kotlowski on 31 October 2022 and noticed the rearmost strap holding the bricks was loose.

Both men made attempts to flash their lights, beep their horns and signal to Mr Kotlowski that something was wrong, the court heard.

While summing up the evidence, Judge Peter Henry told the jury: "Everybody is bound to feel enormous sympathy for Miss Evans, who was just walking along the street and suffered serious injuries.

"One can't of course feel anything other than enormous sympathy for her."