A PONTYPOOL lorry driver who ploughed into an ambulance on a motorway, killing a man being treated, was yesterday jailed for three and a half years.

As later editions of yesterday's Argus reported, James Kelly, aged 54, of Fairview Court, Pontnewynydd, "almost certainly" fell asleep at the wheel and careered into the back of the ambulance on the hard shoulder of the M4, Bristol crown court heard.

Last month Kelly admitted causing the death of 28-year-old Mark Jenkins by driving dangerously. He originally denied the charge and blamed the accident on a medical condition.

But he changed his plea to guilty on the second day of his trial. Mr Jenkins, from Swindon, was sitting in the back of the ambulance when the flatbed DAF lorry, driven by Kelly, veered onto the hard shoulder and crashed into it on August 18, 2002.

Mr Jenkins was pronounced dead at the scene and two paramedics were injured.

The court had heard how witnesses saw the lorry swerve and drift between lanes one and two for up to 12 miles before the crash. Kelly was a heavy goods vehicle driver for 15 years, and was driving from Gwent to Eastbourne on the day of the crash.

He had one previous conviction for drink-driving. Bryan Thomas, defending, said Kelly had not been drinking before the accident, was not knowingly sleep deprived and was not speeding. His employer described him as an exemplary employee who was reliable and trustworthy, and Mr Thomas said Kelly felt genuine remorse for the victim's family.

Sentencing Kelly, Judge David Ticehurst said that it was "abundantly clear that he was not in control" of the steel-laden lorry.

"This is as clear an example as there could be of the dangers of driving and falling asleep at the wheel, which is almost certainly what happened." He said nothing could reconcile the family of the victim, and sentenced Kelly to three and a half years and disqualified him from driving for four years.