Crash Brought On 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 car, triggering a pregnant female to offer birth 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 driver of the Nissan suffered whiplash and the pregnant traveler was rushed into health center with a fractured pelvis. Two other children in the exact same vehicle suffered injuries while the household's animal canine was seriously hurt and had to go through emergency surgery.


Bentley, 30, admitted 2 counts of triggering severe injury by hazardous driving and was jailed for 28 months at Derby Crown Court and banned from driving for 38 months.


After the crash the pregnant female had to undergo an emergency situation Caesarean section, leaving her premature baby in intensive look after a variety of weeks, when she suffered two collapsed lungs.


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


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


A driver in the left-hand lane captured the video on her dashcam, which was utilized as evidence.


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


He was seen earlier diverting into the grass verge of the eastbound carriageway between junctions 6 and 5, as well as swerving between lanes.


Bentley was detained at the scene. Analysis of his phone information following the crash showed he had actually been utilizing his phone while driving, checking out online gambling sites, the force said.


'Missed early moments'


In a victim effect declaration, the mom said: "I needed an emergency situation Caesarean due to my infant remaining in distress. I found this very terrible and didn't desire my child to be born like that and that early.


"My baby 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 child but we were separated across 3 wards in the health center and lost out on so much in those early moments.


"No mother or father should need 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 a terrible screen of driving by Bentley, who spent the majority of his journey distracted by being on his phone.


"I know that the physical, psychological and emotional trauma from this event continues to impact on this household, who were just heading out their day when this wholly preventable collision happened."


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