A LORRY driver has been cleared of causing the death of two women by dangerous driving in a horrific motorway crash (Keith Hunt writes).

But Michael Gordon was convicted at Maidstone Crown Court of two alternative charges of careless driving and fined £125 on each with £250 costs. No ban was imposed and his licence was endorsed with three points.

Gordon had denied causing the deaths of Shirley Deacon, 49, from New Romney, and Iris Guy, 50, of St Margaret’s at Cliffe, near Dover, on the M20 at Farningham in August 1 last year.

Judge Anthony Balston had prefaced the sentence with the comment: “The penalties I can impose for careless driving are very limited.”

Gordon, from Ealing, West London, told the court: “To be quite honest, I can’t see why I am taking the blame for this. I don’t put myself in blame here.”

The two women were travelling in separate cars in different directions at the time. Gordon had been overtaking a slow-moving car when Mrs Deacon’s Ford Mondeo struck the central reservation barrier, flipped into the air and landed on top of a car in which Mrs Guy was a front seat passenger.

Just seconds before impact Mrs Guy was heard to gasp “Oh my..." but was unable to finish the sentence to her husband Alan, 56, who was driving.

The court was told the two women would have died instantly.

Mrs Deacon was travelling in the fast lane of the coast-bound carriageway of the M20, while Mrs Guy was in a Peugeot 406 estate.

The smash happened after 37-year-old Gordon’s 40-tonne truck started to overtake a Metro in the slow lane of the coast-bound carriageway.

The prosecution alleged that he indicated and pulled out into the middle lane in one manoeuvre. Also travelling in that lane was financial advisor Philip Patient, 27, who said he had to take evasive action in his Rover 214 to avoid being hit by the lorry.

Gordon claimed Mr Patient came “bombing” up behind him and tailgated him after he had safely moved out into the middle lane.