Jack Haddow, a 29-year-old using multiple social media and messaging applications while operating a 40-tonne lorry on a smart motorway, was sentenced to 28 months in prison at Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday after crashing into a Jaguar XE and leaving a married couple with injuries, warringtonguardian.co.uk reported.
The collision occurred at approximately 1.55 a.m. on April 1 of last year on the M6 northbound between junction 22 at Winwick and junction 23 at Haydock. Haddow was traveling at around 53 mph in his heavy goods vehicle while approaching a section of the smart motorway where overhead signs were illuminating that the speed limit was 40 mph. The victim, a man driving a white Jaguar XE who had just picked his wife up from the airport, was traveling in the first lane and abiding to the 40 mph limit when the HGV struck his vehicle from behind.
Prosecuting Jonathan Keane detailed how the impact sent the Jaguar careering across all four lanes of the motorway before colliding with the central reservation. A passer-by stopped at the scene to assist, finding the driver unresponsive and immediately noticing the injuries sustained by the female passenger, who was screaming that her husband was dead. Police officers arrived shortly after and administered breathalyzer and drug tests to Haddow, both of which returned negative results. Following his arrest, Haddow attempted to shift blame by falsely claiming the Jaguar driver was traveling too slow.
Injuries and Hospital Treatment Sustained by the Couple
Both victims suffered injuries requiring surgical intervention and hospitalization. The husband sustained multiple broken ribs, a broken sternum, a broken spinal vertebra, and was forced to wear a spinal brace for 11 weeks. He relied on carers to wash him in bed, describing the experience as making him feel embarrassed and stripped of his dignity. He was taken to Salford Royal Hospital alongside his wife, who suffered multiple broken ribs, a displaced open wrist, and ankle fractures. Her right heel and foot were destroyed in the crash, with her arm bone visibly protruding through the top of her wrist.
The female victim underwent a nine-and-a-half-hour ankle reconstruction surgery to rebuild the joint and was told not to bear weight on both of her legs for six weeks. Nine days after the initial admission, the couple were transferred to Preston Hospital. The female victim endured five months of being unable to bear weight and spent months bedridden, unable to stand, walk, or wash herself. Carers visited her home four times a day to manage basic tasks, and she still requires help to get dressed. The couple’s home was altered to accommodate their disabilities, requiring hospital beds to be moved into the front room and handrails installed.
Court Revelations Concerning Mobile Device Usage
Evidence presented by the prosecution revealed that Haddow was distracted by his electronic devices in the moments leading up to the disaster. A telephone analysis carried out on the defendant’s mobile phone showed that he used Facebook, Safari, and Apple Mail while actively driving the 40-tonne HGV with an attached container. Although Liverpool Crown Court heard that a second vehicle subsequently struck the couple’s car, medical evidence confirmed that all of the couple’s injuries were caused by Haddow’s initial impact.
In victim impact statements read to the court, the couple detailed the psychological and physical aftermath of the crash. The female victim noted that she faced a significant risk of having her ankle amputated and described the months following the incident as the most difficult and humiliating period of her life. Her husband told the court that the memory of seeing his wife’s protruding bones and hanging limbs while waiting for emergency services is burned into his memory for the rest of his life, leaving him with injuries that will affect him every day for the rest of his life.
Legal Proceedings and Sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court
Haddow pleaded guilty at an earlier court hearing to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. At Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday, he was jailed for 28 months. The court proceedings concluded with detailed testimony regarding the modifications made to the victims’ residence, which the woman said feels more like a hospital ward than a home due to the severity of their conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions About the M6 HGV Crash
What specific charges did Jack Haddow face in court?
Jack Haddow pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving before receiving his 28-month prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court.
How fast was the HGV traveling compared to the speed limit?
Haddow was driving his 40-tonne lorry at approximately 53 mph along a smart motorway section where overhead signs were illuminating a 40 mph speed limit.
What digital applications was the driver using behind the wheel?
A telephone analysis of Haddow’s mobile phone proved that he was using Facebook, Safari, and Apple Mail while operating the heavy goods vehicle.
What medical interventions were required for the victims?
The female victim underwent a nine-and-a-half-hour ankle reconstruction surgery and required home care visits four times daily, while her husband was fitted with a spinal brace for 11 weeks.
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