A DRIVER was sending a text when his lorry collided into multiple vehicles, killing a woman, and he then tried to delete data from his phone.

Nicholas Liever, 49, of Clifton Road in Fishtoft, Lincolnshire pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.

He was jailed for four years and four months.

It was in relation to a major crash on the eastbound carriageway of the M62, near Huddersfield, on September 5, 2019.

Liever was driving a Volvo HGV when it collided with several vehicles - a Volkswagen Passat, an Iveco Vehicle Transporter and a Volkswagen Touareg - at 10.40am that morning.

The driver of the Passat, 51-year-old Karen McDonagh, of Goole, suffered injuries which proved to be fatal.

West Yorkshire Police launched a large investigation following the crash and death.

The Major Collision Enquiry Team discovered that Liever had been exchanging text messages in the time leading up to the fatal moment.

The last one he sent was at around the time of the crash.

Liever also attempted to delete data from his phone and told police in interview that he was not distracted at the time of the collision, claiming it was unavoidable.

But a specialist investigator was able to retrieve the phone data.

Detective Constable Jenny Stanley, of the Major Collision Enquiry Team, issued a statement after Liever was sentenced.

She said: “This is yet another example of how dangerous using a mobile phone at the wheel of a moving vehicle can be.

“Liever has admitted responsibility for causing this collision and now has some time to reflect on his actions, which resulted in the death of a much-loved family member and impacted on the lives of those involved in what was a traumatic incident.

“Our sympathies remain with the family of Karen McDonagh and we hope that this outcome will give them some comfort.”