A POLICE crash investigator said the storage of a chain that killed a lorry driver when it sliced through his cabin was “inherently dangerous”.

Christopher Watson, 45, is on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with causing death by dangerous driving on the A415 near Abingdon on July 18 last year.

The prosecution says Michael Stringer, 52, died from a “catastrophic head injury” caused when a loose chain from Watson’s lorry “acted like a cheesewire” as the vehicles passed each other.

Yesterday Antony Redding gave evidence as an expert witness about what he found at the scene of the accident.

He told the jury there were a number of chains on the back of the flat-bed lorry, owned by Select Plant Hire, which Watson had been driving.

Ann Evans, prosecuting, asked him in particular about the one which she said caused Mr Stringer’s death.

Mr Redding said it was “clipped on” in such a way that during tests he was able to dislodge it “with one finger”. He said: “It would be safe, or safer, if it had been in tension. But when it is loose and just hanging on it is inherently dangerous.”

Watson, of Tudor Drive, Watford, denies the charge. He is on bail.

The trial continues.