Amy Firth, the sister of Bethany Jones – the Leeds student killed in a car accident last year, has said that the driver’s ‘idiotic actions’ were to blame for her death.

The jury at Leeds Crown Court heard her statement criticise minibus driver, James Johnson.

The statements were read out during the trial hearing of lorry driver, Kevin Ollerhead, who crashed into the minibus.

Miss Jones, who was a first year trainee nurse at Leeds, was killed in a collsion whilst travelling on a hen party minibus to Liverpool.

It was reported that Bethany and 20 other women were on the bus before the collision on the M62 in April 2013.

Miss Jones was the only fatality while 11 others suffered injuries. Amy Firth, who was also on the bus at the time, told the jury that the minibus driver, James Johnson, was driving at 5.5mph.

According to reports, the women had described how Mr Johnson continued driving despite the smell of burning from the vehicle on the A1.

It was also heard that Mr Ollerhead’s lorry was set on cruise control at 52mph before crashing into the minibus.

Both Mr Johnson and Mr Ollerhead have denied charges of causing death by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.

Abla Klaa