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 car, triggering a pregnant female to deliver prematurely, has actually been imprisoned.


Jack Bentley hit a fixed 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 passenger was hurried into healthcare facility with a fractured pelvis. Two other kids in the exact same automobile suffered injuries while the family's family pet dog was seriously hurt and had to go through emergency situation surgical treatment.


Bentley, 30, admitted 2 counts of causing major 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 woman needed to undergo an emergency Caesarean area, leaving her premature child in extensive look after a number of weeks, when she suffered 2 collapsed lungs.


The baby later on made a recovery and had the ability to go home.


Derbyshire Police said Bentley, of Meadow Way, Derby, had been travelling home from Blackpool when the accident took place at 18:45 BST.


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


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


He was seen previously diverting into the turf brink 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 data following the crash revealed he had actually been using his phone while driving, going to online gaming websites, the force stated.


'Missed early moments'


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


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


"When you have an infant you anticipate to be in a bubble with your partner and newborn infant however we were separated throughout three wards in the medical facility and missed out on out on a lot in those early moments.


"No mother or dad must need to go through this.


"The next 3 weeks we spent in medical facility getting our infant strong enough to come home."


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


"I know that the physical, mental and emotional injury from this incident continues to impact on this household, who were merely going out their day when this wholly preventable collision took place."


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