00:00Now a reminder of our top story tonight. Just a month ago, Svonko Tamisa changed his plea and admitted causing
00:06the death of Aaron McManus in a crash on the M20 near Lenham.
00:10Mr McManus died at the scene following the three-vehicle collision, which happened while a 50mph speed restriction was in
00:16place.
00:17At an earlier hearing, Maidstone Crown Court heard that traffic had slowed because of an unrelated incident further ahead, with
00:23a rolling roadblock in operation at the time.
00:25And today, Tamisa appeared before the court for sentencing. And Maisie Walker joins me now from outside the court with
00:32the latest.
00:33Now, Maisie, you've been following the developments at the court this afternoon. Tell us, what's the latest?
00:40Yeah, so I've been here at Maidstone Crown Court since it was first announced that sentencing will take place at
00:462pm today.
00:47But the update for everybody watching at home is that the defendant, Vankano Tomisa, who was a lorry driver who
00:56killed a man on the road, changed his plea last month to guilty and today was sentenced.
01:02So Aaron McAnamus, an Ashford resident, the man that lost his life, can be seen on screen right now.
01:10So Tomisa received an 11-year sentence and driving disqualification for over 14 years.
01:19And Maisie, remind us what happened and how we got to today's sentencing.
01:25So it was a three-vehicle crash on the M20 when a 50mph speed restriction was in place.
01:35And in court last month, right here at Maidstone Crown Court, that he accepted responsibility for the fatal collision on
01:42the London-bound carriageway of the motorway between Junctions 9 and 8 near Lenham, where Aaron McAnamus was pronounced dead
01:52at the scene.
01:55And Maisie, what has the Chief Inspector Craig West said following today's outcome?
02:02Sir Craig West appeared outside the court around 5.15pm to Jay and issued the following statement.
02:09This case, and indeed today's sentencing, serves as a timely reminder that using your mobile phone whilst driving a motor
02:16vehicle is extremely dangerous.
02:19We have performed a comprehensive investigation which has proven that Mr Tomias was driving a heavy goods vehicle on the
02:27M20 in November last year.
02:29In very clear road conditions.
02:31However, he was using his mobile phone to make numerous phone calls, text messages and indeed even video calls whilst
02:38driving a heavy goods vehicle.
02:40This made him fail to notice that the vehicles in front had slowed down to stop and caused his vehicle
02:46to crash into the rear of a vehicle driven by Mr Aaron McManus.
02:50This is a very good news.
02:50This is a very good news.
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