On 3 January 2007, a National Express coach overturned at the Thorney Interchange near London, killing three passengers and causing life-changing injuries to four others.

[2] The service left Victoria at 22:30 GMT, delayed by approximately 30 minutes by problems stowing passenger luggage.

The slip road on which the incident occurred has a negative gradient and long right-hand curve of decreasing radius, with a signposted advisory speed limit of 40 miles per hour (64 km/h).

[6] Rooney was making a passenger safety announcement when he lost control of the vehicle and collided with the offside crash barrier before impacting the nearside kerb and overturning.

The vast majority of the National Express fleet comprises single-deck coaches, and its services were not significantly affected by the recall.

[15] Before the beginning of the trial, Rooney changed his plea to guilty of all three counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

Tachograph evidence showed he had repeatedly exceeded speed limits on the January 2007 journey, and his heavy braking had caused luggage to fall from the overhead baggage racks.