A driver has been jailed after crashing into the back of a car while gambling on his mobile phone, and causing a pregnant woman to go into labour.
Derby Crown Court heard Jack Bentley, 30, from Meadow Way, Derby, was seen veering into the grass verge of the A50 in Derbyshire, swerving between lanes and lane hogging on 6 April 2025.
His Ford Focus then collided into the back of a Nissan X Trail, which was queuing in stationary traffic.
A pregnant passenger in the Nissan suffered a fractured pelvis, was rushed to hospital and gave birth prematurely, leaving her baby in intensive care, the court was told.
The Nissan’s driver and two other children were also injured, while the family’s pet dog had to undergo emergency surgery.
Bentley admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and, on 11 February, was jailed for two years and four months.
In a victim impact statement, the woman said she found the emergency caesarean “very traumatic” and “missed out on so much in those early moments” following the birth because her baby was in an incubator.
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She added: “I remember being there watching when all the nurses and doctors rushed around because her lung had collapsed and I had to lay there scared for her. Hours later, the other lung also collapsed.
“She wasn’t strong enough for the world yet. For my first pregnancy, this was a very traumatic experience and one no parent expects or wants to experience.”
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Dashcam footage from another motorist captured the crash, as Bentley’s Ford Focus continued moving at speed towards the stationary line of vehicles, then collided into the rear of the Nissan, causing debris to fly into the air and scatter across the road.
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After Bentley’s arrest at the scene, analysis of his phone data showed he had been using his phone while driving, visiting online gambling sites as he travelled from Blackpool to Derby.
PC Richard Morris, who led the investigation, said: “This was an appalling display of driving by Bentley, who spent the majority of his journey distracted by being on his phone.
“From watching the dashcam footage, it was clear that had he been paying attention he would have seen the queue of traffic in front of him and been able to stop in time.
“I know that the physical, mental and emotional trauma from this incident continues to impact on this family.”
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Bentley was also disqualified from driving for three years and two months.
