A LORRY driver who caused the death of two road workers on the A1 in a "fatal error of judgement" was jailed for two years yesterday.

Brian Smith, who drove for store chain Asda, was found guilty at Teesside Crown Court on two charges of causing death by dangerous driving, which he had denied.

The jury deliberated for four hours and 15 minutes before reaching 11-1 majority verdicts against the 57-year-old, from Nuneaton, Warwickshire.

In October last year a jury at the same court failed to reach a verdict after hearing the case.

The court previously heard from Michael O'Neill, prosecuting, that John Corkin, 29, and Kevin Barker, 40, both of Sunderland, died after Smith's lorry hit the back of their flat-bed maintenance truck while they laid out cones for roadworks, on the northbound carriageway of the A1, near Catterick, North Yorkshire.

Their truck, with flashing lights on the back, was parked half on the verge and half in the slow lane of the dual carriageway when the crash happened, just before 1am on August 9, 2000.

Mr O'Neill said Smith hit the truck without slowing, swerving or braking.

Mr Ashurst, defending, said Smith saw the flashing lights, but thought it was parked off the road and denied the driver fell asleep at the wheel.

He said Smith was devastated and bewildered by the accident, and was of good character with an impeccable driving record.

Judge Peter Armstrong said Smith had made a "fatal error of judgement".

He added he did not know whether Smith had momentarily fallen asleep or had been distracted by something in his cab for a "considerable" amount of time leading up the accident.

He jailed him for two years, stating Smith would serve half of that, and banned him from driving for three years.

Sheralee Barker, widow of Kevin Barker, said after the sentence: "We got the right result, but it won't fetch my husband back.