A POLICE collision expert said he believes the lorry, which ran over and killed Trevor Allen, was travelling around eight miles an hour when it hit the 56-year-old granddad, Chester Crown Court heard.

Experienced collision investigation unit officer Kevin Sweeney took to the stand on day three of the road rage murder trial and described how data from a tachograph recorded the lorry’s speed before the incident on Manchester Road in February.

Driver Mark Slater, aged 47, from Oldham denies murder and said it was an accident as he had not seen Mr Allen get out of his vehicle.

The jury heard Slater told police Mr Allen was driving behind the 17-tonne lorry and started flashing his lights and beeping his horn before overtaking the lorry.

The statement from Slater continued Mr Allen was waving his fists out of the window before throwing coins which hit the lorry’s window.

He then pulled over but after the wagon passed him, Mr Allen overtook the lorry again before pulling in front of Slater so he had to ‘brake as hard as he could’.

The statement added Slater opened his door and shouted to the car driver before he started moving around the car.

Mr Sweeney said information from the tachograph found the lorry sped up and slowed down around the time Slater claims he was overtaken by Mr Allen and appeared to have used his emergency brake before remaining stationary for nine seconds.

He reached speeds at a peak of 12-13 mph after hitting Mr Allen, from Swinton, before stopping.

Mr Sweeney added an MOT examiner found the pedestrian mirror of Slater’s vehicle, which is used to identify people walking in front of the cab, was incorrectly adjusted.

Earlier in the day, the jury heard the first police officer on the scene described Slater as in a ‘state of shock’ and ‘physically shaking’ after the incident.

The trial continues.