Crash Caused By Phone Gambler Led To Premature Birth

26 February 2026
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George TorrEast Midlands


A guy who was betting on his phone when he crashed into a vehicle, causing a pregnant lady to deliver too soon, has been jailed.


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


Police said the driver of the Nissan suffered whiplash and the was rushed into hospital with a fractured hips. Two other kids in the exact same automobile suffered injuries while the family's animal canine was seriously hurt and had to undergo emergency situation surgical treatment.


Bentley, 30, confessed 2 counts of triggering major injury by dangerous driving and was jailed 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 situation Caesarean area, leaving her early child in intensive care for a number of weeks, when she suffered two collapsed lungs.


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


Derbyshire Police stated Bentley, of Meadow Way, Derby, had actually been taking a trip home from Blackpool when the collision occurred at 18:45 BST.


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


Bentley, driving in the right-hand lane, did not see the stationary traffic and crashed without altering his speed, police stated.


He was seen previously veering into the turf edge of the eastbound carriageway between junctions 6 and 5, along with swerving between lanes.


Bentley was apprehended at the scene. Analysis of his phone data following the crash showed he had actually been utilizing his phone while driving, checking out online gaming websites, the force stated.


'Missed early moments'


In a victim impact statement, the mother stated: "I needed an emergency situation Caesarean due to my infant remaining in distress. I found this really traumatic and didn't want my child 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 anticipate to be in a bubble with your partner and newborn infant however we were separated across 3 wards in the hospital and lost out on so much in those early moments.


"No mom or dad must have to go through this.


"The next 3 weeks we spent in hospital getting our child strong enough to come home."


Following sentencing on 11 February, PC Richard Morris, from Derbyshire Police, said: "This was an appalling display of driving by Bentley, who invested the majority of his journey distracted by being on his phone.


"I understand that the physical, mental and psychological trauma from this occurrence continues to effect on this household, who were simply heading out their day when this wholly avoidable collision happened."


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