Durham A1 crash: Lorry driver was browsing dating sites

Ion Onut was looking at profiles on dating sites while driving his HGV

A lorry driver who was browsing dating sites at the wheel has been jailed for a crash that killed three people.

David Daglish, 57, and Elaine Sullivan, 59, of Seaham, and Paul Mullen, 51, of Washington, died in the crash on the A1(M) in County Durham last July.

Ion Onut, 41, of the Scottish Borders, admitted three counts of causing death by dangerous driving and was jailed for eight years and 10 months.

Onut's phone showed he was browsing sites for 40 minutes before the crash.

Phone records confirmed he had been navigating between two dating sites, had spent almost £50 to engage with users and was looking at profiles and editing his own while driving, Durham Crown Court heard.

David Daglish and Elaine Sullivan died at the scene

His lorry, laden with fertiliser, was moving at least 50mph over that time.

Onut, originally from Romania but who had moved to Galashiels, had ignored warning signs to slow down and alerting drivers to a build-up of traffic caused by a spillage of handbrake fluid.

'Casual sexual partners'

Witnesses saw him driving erratically and weaving across lanes minutes before the collision, which occurred at about 18:15 BST on 15 July on the northbound carriageway near junction 61 at Bowburn.

Judge James Adkin said: "You were not asleep at the wheel, which would have been bad enough. In fact you were trawling the internet on dating sites looking for casual sexual partners."

Onut's lorry was travelling at 58mph when it hit a line of stationary traffic - first the Vauxhall Crossland which Mr Daglish and his partner Ms Sullivan were in before smashing Mr Mullen's Toyota Hilux under another lorry - and burst into flames.

There were two lorries and four cars involved in the collision and three other people suffered serious injuries.

Paul Mullen was also killed in the crash

The lorry "careered out of control, destroying everything in its path" before ending up 100m down the carriageway past the point of the initial impact.

Nick Dry, prosecuting, said: "He was utterly engrossed in internet activity, in pursuit of sexual gratification, over an extended period of time while in control of a large goods vehicle on a busy motorway."

Lorry driver Michael Hosty and another man, Ryan Campbell, were commended for their bravery in rushing to help pull Onut free from his burning cab. Mr Hosty, who now has post-traumatic stress disorder, recalled grabbing him and saying: "Look, mate, if you don't help me out we are both going to die."

The consequences of Onut's actions were "catastrophic", the judge said.

The crash involved six vehicles and left wreckage strewn across the motorway

Soldier Junior Sullivan, whose mother and stepfather died in the crash, told the court his life was "shattered" and he felt "unbearable rage at the sight of other drivers using their mobile phones".

Hard-working family man Mr Mullen was a loving father to his three children and was about to become a grandfather, his daughter Orlaigh said.

Lauren Cawton, who survived the crash, was left with chronic leg pain and said her life had been ruined.

Fellow survivor Molly Smith said the crash left her feeling stressed, angry and guilty during the final weeks of her pregnancy.

Richard Bloomfield, defending, said Onut felt remorse and passed on an apology from the defendant for the "devastation" he caused.

Onut was also disqualified from driving for a total of 14 years and five months.

Speaking after the sentencing, Sgt Catherine Iley, from Durham Constabulary, described the crash as "truly harrowing for everyone involved".

She said: "It was incredibly distressing and upsetting for those who witnessed the collision, and for the emergency responders, including police officers, firefighters and paramedics, who attended the scene.

"The horror of what they witnessed that day will no doubt remain with them for many years to come."

Sgt Iley paid tribute to all those who tried to help in the aftermath of the crash including members of the public, Highways England employees and soldiers from the 4th Regiment Royal Artillery who had been caught up in the ensuing traffic jam.