HGV driver 'distracted' by game during fatal crash

A lorry driver found to have been distracted by a game on his mobile phone during a fatal road collision has been jailed for 11 years.

Christopher Cooke failed to bring his heavy goods vehicle (HGV) to a stop while driving on the A14 at Beyton, Suffolk, on 20 March 2023, crushing a van in front and killing the driver, 53-year-old Paul Cobbold.

Suffolk Police's analysis of his mobile phone revealed that a game had been active on his screen when the collision happened.

The 55-year-old, of Shillitoe Close, Bury St Edmunds, was found guilty of dangerous driving and sentenced at Ipswich Crown Court on Thursday.

Police said traffic had been slowing to merge in turn due to roadworks ahead at the time of the incident.

The investigation found that Cooke's phone was unlocked, in focus, and had been running a game called Chief Almighty when the collision happened.

It was then manually shut down before police seized the phone.

Det Con Mark Simpson, of the serious collision investigation unit, said: "The evidence from his mobile phone leaves us in no doubt that this distraction was caused by the game was that was running on it."

Analysis also found that Cooke had been playing the same game between text messages the previous evening while driving the same journey.

Simpson said the evidence from the previous night "only adds weight" to their hypothesis.

There were no visibility or weather issues, vehicle defects or medical reasons that could have contributed to the collision, the force said.

Cooke's HGV had also been towing a trailer with a full container.

Simpson described the death as "completely avoidable" and said risks were "multiplied" when driving such heavy vehicles.

He said both Cobbold and the HGV in front of him slowed down in good time.

"Despite his elevated vantage point, Christopher Cooke failed to respond to the traffic ahead and was quite clearly distracted," he said.

"There is simply no excuse for a professional - or any - driver to take risks such as this and the outcome in this case is the most severe.

"The consequences for Paul Cobbold's family were devastating - he was making his way home from work and never made it due to someone else's reckless behaviour."

He took the opportunity to thank the victim's family for their "patience and dignity" during the process.

Cooke had admitted driving carelessly but had denied dangerous driving.

He was disqualified from driving for 12.5 years and will be required to take an extended retest.

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