A coach driver who caused a crash near Heathrow which killed three people and injured more than 60 others was jailed yesterday for five years.
Philip Rooney, 49, was making a public safety announcement over the vehicle's public address system while speeding round a bend when the crash happened.
The double-decker National Express coach, carrying 69 passengers, overturned and skidded along on its side on the M4/M25 slip road near the airport.
Rooney was trying to negotiate a 40mph bend at 55mph when he lost control. He was driving like he was "possessed" - probably in an attempt to make up for lost time following a delay caused by a luggage problem, Oxford crown court was told.
Many of those on the overnight London to Aberdeen service had to be cut from the wreckage on January 3 last year.
Christina Toner, 76, from Dundee, and Yi Di Lin, 30, a Chinese national, died following the crash. John Carruthers, 78, of Chertsey, Surrey, died six months later.
Another 65 people were injured, including four who had to have amputations and 19 who suffered fractures.
The victims included an Albanian woman, Samia Berbiche. Berbiche lost part of her right leg, her three-year-old son lost part of his right leg and lower left arm, and her eight-month-old daughter lost one of her lower legs.
Rooney, a father of three from Carluke in Lanarkshire, was jailed for five years and banned from driving for three years after pleading guilty at a previous hearing to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was also ordered to take an extended driving test.
Rooney, who had been driving coaches for 15 years, had been caught speeding in passenger vehicles on five occasions.
He was also disciplined by his employer in December 2004 for tampering with a speed limiter so he could drive faster.
Following the sentence, Toner's family said they were astonished that Rooney was allowed to keep his job after his previous speeding convictions.
"We were surprised that somebody would employ someone with that level of convictions in a public service," said her son-in-law Matt Light.
The court heard that the coach had been delayed by an hour and a half after Rooney had to call a taxi to transport one family's luggage because there was no room in the heavily laden vehicle.
Richard Latham QC, prosecuting, said: "A number of passengers noted the vehicle was being driven significantly faster, as if the driver was seeking to make up for lost time."
One passenger said: "After Heathrow the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers."
Mohammed Khamisa QC, defending, said Rooney had offered his "heartfelt apologies" to those who lost loved ones or who were injured.
He added: "The events have crushed him and continue to haunt him."
A driver for the UK coach firm National Express has been jailed for five years after causing a crash last year that killed three people. Philip Rooney, 49, was in a double-decker coach near London's Heathrow Airport which rolled on January 3 last year.

The vehicle landed on its side after Rooney attempted to take a 40mph turnoff at 55mph on the M4/M25 slip road near Heathrow. He was described at Oxford Crown Court today as driving like one 'possessed', possibly in a bid to make up for lost time after a luggage issue had delayed the London-Aberdeen service's departure.

Rooney had been delayed after summoning a taxi to transport one family's luggage due to a lack of room on the crowded coach. This delayed departure by an hour and a half.

The coach, with 69 passengers on board, skidded along on its side after overturning whilst Rooney made a safety announcement over the vehicle's PA system. 76-year-old Christina Toner from Dundee and 30-year-old Chinese citizen Yi Di Lin were killed, while 78-year-old John Carruthers from Chertsey, Surrey succumbed to his injuries six months later.

Another 65 people sustained injuries, including four who had amputations as a result of their injuries and 19 who suffered fractures. "After Heathrow the driver drove like he was possessed. He kept overtaking everything and going like the clappers," said one passenger. Fire and rescue crews had to cut several victims from the wreck.

Rooney had been convicted on five previous occasions of speeding in public service vehicles during his career of fifteen years with large passenger vehicles. He was also disciplined in 2004 by National Express after he was caught tampering with a speed limiter to allow him to drive his coach faster.

Defending, Mohammed Khamisa QC said of Rooney "The events of the day in question have crushed him and continue to haunt him," and that he offers his "heartfelt apologies" to all victims and relatives.

Rooney pled guilty to three counts of causing death by dangerous driving. He was jailed for five years, banned from driving for three and ordered to take an extended driving test.