THE family of a father who was killed in a motorway pile-up caused by a former Redditch businessman have spoken out after a jury cleared a second driver of dangerous driving.

Eight people died in the early morning crash on the M1 last August when ex-Redditch business owner Ryszard Masierak stopped his lorry in the slow lane.

Graphic footage released by police showed Masierak’s lorry parked up as other vehicles attempt to get around him.

Passengers of a mini-bus had been en route to Disneyland when its driver Cyriac Joseph paused with his hazard lights on, waiting for the chance to go around Masierak’s lorry.

Another lorry, driven by David Wagstaff, came behind the minibus at 56mph and crushed it, forcing it into and under Masierak’s vehicle.

Redditch Advertiser:

(ABOVE: The aftermath of the horrific crash. Picture released by Thames Valley Police)

Masierak should not have been driving, having had his professional licence revoked, and was likely twice the legal limit for alcohol, police said.

Wagstaff would have had the obstruction ahead in his sight for nine seconds but did not brake or try to turn the wheel before the crash at around 3am on August 26.

At Reading Crown Court on Tuesday, Masierak was convicted of eight counts of causing death by dangerous driving and four of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

Wagstaff admitted causing the eight deaths as well as serious injury to four others by careless driving, but was cleared of dangerous driving.

Redditch Advertiser:

(ABOVE: The aftermath of the horrific crash. Picture released by Thames Valley Police)

Mr Joseph’s widow Ancy was emotional as her cousin Matthew John told reporters they have been denied “full justice”.

Describing Mr Jospeh as a “great father, loving husband and a very good friend”, he added: “I don’t think we have got full justice.

“It’s probably the time to think about the law around using mobile phones while driving.

“I think there should be monitoring cameras in the cabin to see what actually these drivers are doing.

“I hope the Highways Agency and the other appropriate authorities will do something to prevent these sort of accidents in the future.”

Redditch Advertiser:

(ABOVE: The aftermath of the horrific crash. Picture released by Thames Valley Police)

He added lessons must be learned in the wake of such “horrible” incidents, claiming the system had failed to alert other road users to the fact Masierak had been stationary on the motorway for 12 minutes.

Six men and two women were killed in the crash as the passengers travelled from Nottingham to London to catch a coach to Disneyland.

Wagstaff, from Stoke, was released on continuing bail and will be sentenced alongside Masierak at Aylesbury Crown Court on March 23.