The UK firefighter who was charged with manslaughter after his siren startled a herd of cattle last year, has pled guilty to lesser charge.
Julian Lawford, a volunteer firefighter from the Devon and Somerset Fire Service, was responding to an alarm on August 11, 2009, when he came upon a slow moving herd of cattle in the road, being herded by farmer Harold Lee, 75 years old. Lawford sounded his siren, the cattle stampeded and fatally injured Lee.
Lawford was originally charged with manslaughter, but pled guilty to careless driving, death resulting. He will be sentenced next year, but various news sources are indicating he will not face jail time.
The manslaughter charge would have required the prosecution to prove gross negligence or criminal recklessness. There are a number of definitions for such a mental state – but commonly it is said to consist of consciously disregarding a known and substantial risk of harm.