Doctor forced into early retirement

Jamie Bahrami, aged 63, was in coach F of the GNER York to London service when it was derailed by Gary Hart's Land Rover, after Hart fell asleep at the wheel and crashed off the M62 near Great Heck.

Dr Bahrami, from Great Ouseburn, near York, was pinned down by mangled metal inside the wrecked carriage for more than an hour while rescuers battled to free him.

He was one of the most seriously injured victims who survived. He suffered a punctured lung, a badly broken leg and a broken hand, all on his left side.

Doctors only allowed him home after he spent three weeks in hospital, including ten days in intensive care.

Despite his recovery, the full effects of the horror smash, which happened shortly after 6am on February 28, have taken their toll on Dr Bahrami's body and mind, and he has been off work since September.

He said: "I had intended to retire eventually and carry on with some private consultancy work, but my injuries mean I'm not physically capable, as I still get out of breath and tire quite easily.

"GNER did offer me counselling at the time, which I refused, but I'm due to see a psychologist in the next few weeks to see how I'm coping mentally.

"I didn't go to Gary Hart's trial because I had a pretty harrowing experience in the accident and only during these past few months have I begun to come to terms with it all."

Last week, builder Hart was warned he faced a "substantial" prison sentence by Mr Justice Mackay after he was convicted by majority verdicts on ten counts of causing death by dangerous driving at Leeds Crown Court. He was released on bail and will be sentenced next year.

Dr Bahrami said: "I have no animosity towards Mr Hart and a lot of compassion for him because he will have to live with the guilt of what he has done for the rest of his life.

"But there is no doubt about it that he caused the accident and I have to agree with the jury's decision."

Updated: 10:44 Tuesday, December 18, 2001