A prison officer has been sentenced to prison after causing a horrific 71mph collision while engrossed in online gambling on his mobile phone during a two-hour drive. Jack Bentley, aged 30, ploughed into a stationary car carrying a pregnant woman, her partner, two young children, and their family dog, resulting in severe injuries and a premature birth.
Distracted Driving Leads to Catastrophic Crash
On April 6 last year, Bentley was driving his Ford Focus from Derby to Blackpool when he spent "almost the entirety" of the journey playing games and placing bets on his phone. Dashcam footage from a nearby vehicle captured the moment his car approached a long tailback on the busy A50 in Derby. Oblivious to the stationary traffic, Bentley smashed into the back of a Nissan X-Trail at high speed, sending debris flying and causing his vehicle to spin off into another lane.
Severe Injuries and Emergency Surgery
The pregnant woman, who was 33 weeks along, was rushed to hospital and underwent an emergency C-section under general anaesthetic. She sustained a broken pelvis and was unable to hold her premature baby daughter, who weighed just four pounds, for three weeks. The infant spent her first weeks in intensive care after both lungs collapsed, requiring urgent medical attention.
One of the children in the car suffered a fractured ankle, and the family dog needed emergency spinal surgery following the high-speed impact. The Nissan was left crumpled, and the family-of-four, who were travelling home to Yorkshire after visiting relatives, faced a traumatic recovery.
Legal Consequences and Victim Impact
Bentley was arrested at the scene and later admitted two counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. At Derby Crown Court on February 11, he was jailed for two years and four months and banned from driving for three years and two months. An examination of his phone confirmed he had been using online gambling sites throughout the drive.
In a victim impact statement, the woman described the ordeal as "very traumatic," expressing sadness that her baby was born without skin-to-skin contact and that the family was separated across hospital wards. She said, "No mother or father should have to go through this," highlighting the emotional and physical toll of the crash.
Police Condemnation of Reckless Behaviour
PC Richard Morris of Derbyshire Constabulary condemned Bentley's actions, stating, "This was an appalling display of driving. Had he been paying attention, he would have seen the queue of traffic and stopped in time. Instead, his distraction caused extensive injuries and forced a premature birth, which is nothing short of despicable." The case underscores the dangers of mobile phone use while driving and the devastating consequences of negligent behaviour on the road.
