A UK court in London has sentenced an Indian-origin driver for 2 years and 4 months jail as he fell asleep while driving the vehicle and a hit carried after that killed his work colleague.

The Indian-origin driver Malkit Chaukria was found guilty in dangerous driving as well as causing death of 29-year-old Aaron Ryan at Gloucester Crown Court in southwest England on Tuesday, according to reports. The court has dismissed him from driving vehicle during the sentencing. The court has also criticized the firm employer for sending the driver to such long distances that he fell asleep.

Judge Micheal Cullum said, “You did not set out to kill Mr Ryan in any way — he was your friend. But his death was utterly avoidable," The judge told Chaukria. "Tiredness when driving kills — we all know that. The hours you were expected to drive were utterly irresponsible and it is obvious to me that your employer bears a high degree of moral responsibility for what happened.”

“It is not for me to comment on the minimum wage that you and Mr Ryan were being paid for working ridiculously long hours and driving hundreds of miles each day, for, it must be said a modest payment," the judge said. "I presume that had you refused to work such long hours, which you should have done, then you would have lost your job,” the judge added.

According to reports, Chaukria started his duty on early morning at 2.30 am and drove 300 to 500 miles to transport white goods for the cooperative in the West County region of England and didn’t arrived till 7-8 pm in the evening. He slept on wheel while driving and his Mercedes Sprinter van collided with a 44-tonne lorry, killing Ryan, who was sitting at the front, instantly.

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By Prajakt K.