Weeks after a bin lorry driver killed six Christmas shoppers in Glasgow, driver, Harry Clarke denied having previous blackouts to a specialist a Fatal Accident Inquiry heard..
Despite a history of medical problems he told several experts the same story.
Cardiologist, Professor, Andrew Rankin said he examined Mr Clarke in February and May.
He diagnosed that the incident on the afternoon of Monday, December 22, had been due to a 'neurocardiogenic syncope', also known as a faint or blackout.
Prof Rankin said: 'I told him in my opinion he should not drive HGVs.'
This conclusion was based on a letter from Clake's GP and the driver's own information.
The inquiry heard that the following day Mr Clarke told another GP again that he had not had any previous problems except a panic attack in 2004. He subsequently told a third doctor about a driving episode in 2008 but no loss of consciousness was noted.
Lorraine Sweeney, 69, her husband, 68, and their 18-year-old granddaughter Erin McQuade, all from Dumbarton, died when the 26-ton vehicle went out of control in Queen Street and George Square.
Gillian Ewing, 52, from Edinburgh, and Jacqueline Morton, 51, and 29-year-old Stephenie Tait, both from Glasgow, also lost their lives and a further 10 people were badly hurt.
Just four months after the horrific crash in Glasgow city centre last year, the 58-year-old made a formal application to have his licence restored by the DVLA.
Dorothy Bain QC, representing the family of Jacqueline Morton, asked the witness if Mr Clarke had given him a 'completely different' account of the 2010 incident to that given to other doctors.
The professor replied: 'He told me that he had not actually lost consciousness' and agreed that the driver appeared to have given a different account to him than was given to other doctors.
The Inquiry Is To be Concluded.. (Witness Directory Chief Editor S. Jones)
http://witnessdirectory.com/categorysearch.php?categoryid=954&country=UK&toe=1
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasovagal_response
