Glasgow Bin Lorry Driver Refuses To Say Sorry

The driver of the bin lorry that crashed and killed six people in Glasgow has been asked to imagine his own daughter had been killed, as victims' relatives again walked out of the inquiry into the tragedy.

Harry Clarke also declined to say sorry for the "lies" he told about his health, as the inquiry heard he failed to tell doctors and employers about dizzy spells and fainting before the events of 22 December last year.

Mr Clarke was giving evidence for a second day as part of the probe into the tragedy.

The 58-year-old blacked out at the wheel and his lorry veered on to the pavement in the city centre.

Because of the possibility of prosecution by the families of the victims, Mr Clarke has been told he does not have to give any responses that might incriminate him.

Authorities decided not to prosecute Mr Clarke because at the time "he was unconscious and therefore not in control of his actions" and so did not have "the necessary criminal state of mind".

The inquiry has already heard evidence he repeatedly failed to declare a history of dizziness, fainting and blackouts on driving licence forms and in job applications to Glasgow City Council.

On Friday, Mr Clarke was asked "do you not have the decency to think of someone other than yourself?"

Dorothy Bain QC, who is representing the family of victim Jacqueline Morton, said: "If your daughter was killed and there was a public inquiry trying to find out what might have prevented her death, what would you hope those who might have some information about it would do at that public inquiry?"

Mr Clarke said: "I don't wish to answer that question."

Ms Bain continued: "Do you really not wish to answer? Do you not have the decency to think of someone other than yourself on this occasion?

"If you've not done anything wrong, why not help today?

"If you have done something ... do you not think you should begin to make amends for that by choosing to answer?"

The council worker did not respond or comment when Ms Bain described his "dreadful" record of absence from work and accused him of deliberately misleading doctors to keep his job.

She said: "You should never have been behind the wheel of an HGV and you know that."

The inquiry heard Mr Clarke told a "pack of lies" on medical questionnaires he completed as part of job applications and licence renewals.

The hearing was also told Mr Clarke did not disclose a "blackout" at the wheel of a First Bus vehicle in 2010 when questioned by doctors after the bin lorry crash.

Ms Bain said the evidence "painted a picture of a man recklessly indifferent to consequences of his actions".

She told Mr Clarke: "You took a chance that other people wouldn't have given you. First Bus wouldn't have given you, Glasgow City Council wouldn't have given you, you know that.

"You took a chance and it's taken the lives of six innocent people."

Ronald Conway, representing the family of Stephenie Tait, told Mr Clarke: "I'm going to ask that you say sorry to the people that died that day.

"I want you to say sorry for the lies told in 2010 and that those lies led to the deaths of six people."

Mr Clarke said: "No, I can't say that."

Later, Mr Clarke agreed with Mark Stewart QC - who is representing the families of Erin McQuade, Jack Sweeney and Lorraine Sweeney - when he was asked if he wanted to answer all of the questions put to him but could not because of the possibility of prosecution.

Mr Stewart said: "I'd like you to take that risk that you might get prosecuted for something.

"Just take the risk on the chin and, man to man, answer my questions."

Mr Clarke said he did not wish to answer.