A REVIEW of the prison sentence imposed on a lorry driver who killed three people in a horrific motorway crash could be carried out to determine if it was too lenient.

Ion Onut, 41, who admitted causing death by dangerous driving on the A1(M) near Durham, was last week jailed for eight years and 10 months.

David Daglish, 57, and Elaine Sullivan, 59, of Seaham, and Paul Mullen, 51, of Washington, died in the crash.

The Northern Echo:

David Daglish and Elaine Sullivan, with Paul Mullen, right

A spokesman for the Attorney General’s office said: “I can confirm we have received a referral for this case and it is currently being considered.

“I am not able to give details of who the referral came from.”

Durham Crown Court heard how Onut had been looking at dating sites on his mobile phone for 40 minutes before the crash.

Read more Driver who killed three on A1(M) at Bowburn was surfing sex sites

Onut, originally from Romania, who lived in Galashiels, Scotland, did not slow down after despite a traffic jam caused by a spillage of handbrake fluid.

His lorry was carrying fertiliser and it is estimated he had been travelling at at least 50mph over that time of the collision.

The Northern Echo:

Ion Onut 

The court hearing was told he was driving erratically and swerving across lanes prior to the crash on July 15 on the northbound carriageway near junction 61 at Bowburn.

Two lorries and four cars were involved in the collision and three other people suffered serious injuries.

Read more: Families describe heartache after crash on A1(M) in Durham

Judge James Adkin told him: “You were not asleep at the wheel, which would have been bad enough.

“In fact, you were trawling the internet on dating sites looking for casual sexual partners.”

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