Crash Brought On By Phone Gambler Led To Premature Birth
26 February 2026
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George TorrEast Midlands
A guy who was gambling on his phone when he crashed into an automobile, causing a pregnant woman to provide birth prematurely, has been jailed.
Jack Bentley hit a fixed Nissan X-Trail queuing in traffic on the A50 in Hatton, Derbyshire, on 6 April.
Police stated the motorist of the Nissan suffered whiplash and the pregnant passenger was rushed into healthcare facility with a fractured hips. Two other children in the very same cars and truck suffered injuries while the family's pet canine was seriously hurt and needed to go through emergency surgical treatment.
Bentley, 30, confessed 2 counts of causing severe injury by dangerous driving and was imprisoned for 28 months at Derby Crown Court and banned from driving for 38 months.
After the crash the pregnant lady had to undergo an emergency Caesarean area, leaving her premature baby in extensive look after a variety of weeks, when she suffered two collapsed lungs.
The child later made a healing and was able to go home.
Derbyshire Police said Bentley, of Meadow Way, Derby, had been travelling home from Blackpool when the collision took place at 18:45 BST.
A motorist in the left-hand lane caught the footage on her dashcam, which was used as evidence.
Bentley, driving in the right-hand lane, did not see the fixed traffic and crashed without modifying his speed, cops stated.
He was seen earlier drifting into the yard verge of the eastbound carriageway in between junctions 6 and 5, in addition to swerving between lanes.
Bentley was jailed at the scene. Analysis of his phone data following the crash revealed he had actually been using his phone while driving, going to online betting sites, the force stated.
early moments'
In a victim effect statement, the mom stated: "I required an emergency Caesarean due to my child remaining in distress. I found this extremely terrible and didn't desire my baby to be born like that and that early.
"My infant was born without skin-to-skin contact and me and my partner had to wait to see her.
"When you have a child you expect to be in a bubble with your partner and newborn baby however we were separated throughout three wards in the healthcare facility and lost out on so much in those early minutes.
"No mom or dad should need to go through this.
"The next three weeks we spent in hospital getting our baby strong enough to come home."
Following sentencing on 11 February, PC Richard Morris, from Derbyshire Police, said: "This was an appalling display screen of driving by Bentley, who spent most of his journey distracted by being on his phone.
"I understand that the physical, psychological and psychological trauma from this incident continues to affect on this household, who were simply heading out their day when this wholly avoidable crash occurred."
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