Crash Brought On By Phone Gambler Led To Premature Birth

26 February 2026
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George TorrEast Midlands


A man who was betting on his phone when he crashed into an automobile, causing a pregnant woman to deliver too soon, has been jailed.


Jack Bentley struck a stationary Nissan X-Trail queuing in traffic on the A50 in Hatton, Derbyshire, on 6 April.


Police said the chauffeur of the Nissan suffered whiplash and the pregnant traveler was rushed into hospital with a fractured hips. Two other children in the very same car suffered injuries while the household's family pet canine was seriously hurt and needed to undergo emergency .


Bentley, 30, admitted two counts of causing serious injury by harmful driving and was jailed for 28 months at Derby Crown Court and prohibited from driving for 38 months.


After the crash the pregnant female needed to go through an emergency Caesarean area, leaving her early baby in extensive look after a variety of weeks, when she suffered 2 collapsed lungs.


The infant later on made a healing and had the ability to go home.


Derbyshire Police stated Bentley, of Meadow Way, Derby, had actually been travelling home from Blackpool when the accident happened at 18:45 BST.


A chauffeur in the left-hand lane recorded the video on her dashcam, which was utilized as proof.


Bentley, driving in the right-hand lane, did not see the stationary traffic and crashed without changing his speed, cops said.


He was seen earlier drifting into the yard edge of the eastbound carriageway in between junctions 6 and 5, as well as swerving in between lanes.


Bentley was apprehended at the scene. Analysis of his phone information following the crash revealed he had been using his phone while driving, checking out online gaming websites, the force said.


'Missed early moments'


In a victim impact statement, the mother stated: "I required an emergency Caesarean due to my baby remaining in distress. I found this very traumatic and didn't desire my baby to be born like that which early.


"My baby was born without skin-to-skin contact and me and my partner had to wait to see her.


"When you have an infant you expect to be in a bubble with your partner and newborn child however we were separated throughout three wards in the health center and missed out on a lot in those early minutes.


"No mother or father need to have to go through this.


"The next 3 weeks we invested in healthcare facility getting our child strong enough to come home."


Following sentencing on 11 February, PC Richard Morris, from Derbyshire Police, said: "This was a dreadful screen of driving by Bentley, who spent most of his journey distracted by being on his phone.


"I understand that the physical, psychological and emotional injury from this incident continues to influence on this household, who were just heading out their day when this completely avoidable crash occurred."


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