Lorry driver jailed for killing two people on M5

William Cater admitted causing death by dangerous driving

A lorry driver who killed two people by driving into traffic waiting to leave the M5 has been jailed for 35 months.

William Cater, 48, admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and two of causing serious injury by dangerous driving in relation to the crash, near Taunton, in September 2018.

Rod Walsh, 54, from Cheddar, was one of those who died.

Ceri Walsh, who was in the car with her husband, said she was still angry. "Why didn't he see us?" she said.

"I'm angry that he took away two lives - ruined two lives and injured loads of other people," she added.

Joanne Jennings, 45, from Highbridge in Somerset, was the other person who died, while five people were injured, two of them seriously.

The crash happened on the M5 near junction 25 on the morning of 13 September 2018

Police said the crash between the lorry and a car "impacted on six other vehicles in front of the car which were also queuing".

At Taunton Crown Court, Cater was also disqualified from driving for 41 months and will be required to take an extended retest.

Cater, from Cirencester, pleaded guilty to the charges at an earlier hearing.