Lorry driver jailed over fatal M6 crash in Cheshire
A lorry driver who ran over and killed two men who were changing a tyre on the M6 has been jailed for six years.
Philip Cawley, 39, of Ashton-in-Makerfield, Wigan, and Thomas Southward, 69, of Haydock, Merseyside, died on 9 September 2010.
They had been changing a tyre on the hard shoulder near junction 17.
Malcolm Simpson, 62, from Selby, North Yorkshire, was convicted of two counts of causing death by dangerous driving at Chester Crown Court.
He was also disqualified from driving for seven years.
Cheshire Police said a Scania HGV driven by Simpson was seen to drive on to the hard shoulder of the northbound carriageway near Sandbach, Cheshire.
The lorry hit both men and they were pronounced dead at the scene.
Insp Liz Cunningham said: "This was a tragic incident which has left a hole in the lives of two families.
"While the sentence will bring a sense of closure, this will stay with the families of Thomas and Philip forever as they try to come to terms with such a horrendous loss."
The families of both men said: "We have found this a very distressing and difficult 16 months for the inquiry to come to trial.
"We would like to thank everyone who assisted at the time of the incident."