A MAN accused of killing three colleagues as their van driver in a collision which closed the M4 for nine hours last June pleaded not guilty to the charges at Swindon Crown Court today.

Stephen Jenkins, 38, of Park View Terrace, Abercwmboi in South Wales, was behind the wheel of a Volkswagen Transporter carrying four others when it collided with a lorry.

The incident occurred on the westbound carriageway near Junction 17 at around 4.30am on June 9, with the lorry parked in the hard shoulder.

James Stark, 37, Steven Sheldon, 35, both of Mountain Ash, and Martin Williams, 36, of Trecynon, all died as a result of injuries suffered in the smash.

Jenkins suffered minor injuries and was taken to Great Western Hospital, but was discharged on the same day.

A fifth passenger is believed to have survived having been treated at Southmead Hospital in Bristol for their injuries.

In a plea and case management hearing at Swindon Crown Court today, the prosecution added alternatives to the charges against Jenkins.

He was read charges of causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving for each of the deceased, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Claire Marlow, for the prosecution, said further expert evidence since the preliminary hearing had given rise to the reconsideration of the charges against Jenkins.

Miss Marlow and Jeremy Jenkins, for the defence, agreed to central issue for the four to five-day trial would be whether the defendant fell asleep at the wheel or not.

Jeremy Jenkins said the defence would require sleep and road traffic collision experts for its case, as well as evidence from a separate prosecution connected to the incident.

The trial has been fixed for November 16 later this year.

The four were driving back in a Carillion vehicle to South Wales on the motorway after a night of working on the railway at Reading.

“You have understood what this means now. The trial will be put fixed on November 16 and you will continue to have unconditional bail,” said Recorder Patrick Clarkson QC.

“Just make sure you’re here on November 16.”

The incident created severe delays throughout the morning at the time, with all three lanes of the westbound carriageway closed for nine hours.