Crash Brought On By Phone Gambler Led To Premature Birth

26 February 2026
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George TorrEast Midlands


A man who was gambling on his phone when he crashed into a cars and truck, causing a pregnant female to offer birth too soon, has been imprisoned.


Jack Bentley struck a stationary 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 family pet canine was seriously hurt and needed to go through emergency situation surgery.


Bentley, 30, admitted two counts of causing severe 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 lady had to undergo an emergency situation Caesarean area, leaving her early baby in intensive look after a variety of weeks, when she suffered 2 collapsed lungs.


The baby later on made a healing and was able to go home.


said Bentley, of Meadow Way, Derby, had been taking a trip home from Blackpool when the crash happened at 18:45 BST.


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


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


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


Bentley was jailed at the scene. Analysis of his phone data following the crash showed he had actually been using his phone while driving, going to online betting sites, the force stated.


'Missed early moments'


In a victim impact declaration, the mom stated: "I needed an emergency situation Caesarean due to my infant remaining in distress. I found this really distressing and didn't desire my infant to be born like that which early.


"My child 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 however we were separated throughout 3 wards in the medical facility and lost out on so much in those early minutes.


"No mom or daddy ought to have to go through this.


"The next three 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 an appalling display of driving by Bentley, who invested most of his journey distracted by being on his phone.


"I understand that the physical, mental and emotional trauma from this incident continues to affect on this household, who were merely going out their day when this wholly preventable accident occurred."


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