THE man who caused the deaths of ten people in the Selby rail crash left prison yesterday after serving half his five-year sentence.

Gary Hart, 40, left North Sea Camp open prison by a back entrance yesterday morning.

Hart, of Strubby, Lincolnshire, was jailed in January 2002 for causing the deaths of ten men by dangerous driving following the Selby train crash in 2001.

Hart left in a white Renault people carrier, sitting in the back seat, with two other people, believed to be his parents, in the front.

The Selby crash took place when Hart's Land Rover came off the M62 and came to rest on the East Coast Main Line.

It was hit by a GNER passenger express, which derailed and collided with a fully-laden coal train.

He was found guilty after a 12-day trial at Leeds Crown Court and jailed a month later. The court heard that Hart fell asleep at the wheel after a night without sleep, but he has always denied that.

Construction boss Hart looked stony-faced as he drove past photographers a few miles from the prison.

At one point Hart's car stopped and the driver got out to argue with a photographer before trying to take his keys from the ignition.

The driver, thought to be Hart's father, then returned to the vehicle and drove off.

The car was accompanied by a film crew making a documentary about Hart.

Initially the crew drove into the prison with Hart's parents, but were asked to leave by officers.

A BBC spokeswoman said the film crew was working on a documentary for its award-winning One Life series.

She said the programme was at an early stage.