Purley train crash driver drowns

Robert Morgan, 66, of Meadow Way, drowned while sailing on his boat off the coast of the Isle of Wight.

Mr Morgan was jailed for 18 months, 12 of which were suspended, in September, 1990, after admitting manslaughter following the Purley train crash in March, 1989.

The term was reduced to four months on appeal in October, 1990.

Name cleared

But in December, 2007, judges at the Appeal Court in London cleared him of any blame and quashed his conviction.

According to the coroner's office in Newport, Isle of Wight, there are uncomfirmed reports of other sailors hearing Mr Morgan's cries for help at 5pm on Saturday, March 21 '” but by the time they reached him, he was already dead.

An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned and is expected to take place in the next few months.

The crash left Mr Morgan seriously injured and among the five killed was Colin Clark, the Herald and Gazette entertainments editor, and 60-year-old Goring man Eric Simper.

Personal struggle

Tony Squires, former Littlehampton mayor, was a guard on the train. He said: "It is very sad he only lived for 18 months after being cleared of manslaughter."

Gary Rubin, Mr Morgan's solicitor, read a statement after the conviction was quashed.

"It described Mr Morgan as "both delighted and relieved" and said it had been "a long, hard struggle to clear his name".

The funeral will be held at Worthing Crematorium on Tuesday, April 7, at noon.

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