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Lorry driver jailed for 11 years over fatal A14 crash while using phone

Summarised from 3 outlets · 6 reports · Updated 14 Nov, 08:27 · Archive

Christopher Cooke has been jailed for 11 years after his lorry hit a van on the A14, killing the driver Paul Cobbold.

Christopher Cooke, a 55-year-old lorry driver of Shillitoe Close, Bury St Edmunds, has been jailed for 11 years after being found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving. The collision occurred just after 6pm on 30 March 2023 on the eastbound carriageway of the A14 near Beyton. Cooke's Renault articulated HGV, towing a full container, failed to react to slowing traffic ahead and collided with a Citroen Dispatch van driven by 53-year-old Paul Cobbold, pushing it into the rear of a stationary Mercedes HGV. Mr Cobbold was pronounced dead at the scene.

Suffolk Police's investigation of Cooke's mobile phone revealed that the game Chief Almighty was running on his screen at the time of the collision. The phone was unlocked and the game in focus, though it was manually shut down before police seized the device. Digital evidence also showed Cooke had been playing the same game between text messages the previous evening while driving the same journey. Police found no visibility or weather issues, vehicle defects or medical reasons that could have contributed to the collision.

The court heard that traffic had been slowing due to roadworks ahead, and both Mr Cobbold and the driver of the HGV in front responded appropriately, slowing their vehicles safely. Cooke, however, failed to react. Detective Constable 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 that was running on it.'

Judge David Wilson described the collision as a 'wholly avoidable tragedy'. Though there was no direct evidence Cooke was playing the game at the precise moment of impact, the judge noted it had been active on his phone screen while he was driving and he had clearly been distracted leading up to the crash. The judge told Cooke: 'You were a professional driver who failed to pay proper attention to the road ahead.' He said gaming while driving was as dangerous as browsing or sending messages on a mobile phone.

Paul Cobbold's partner, Jackie Leeks, told the court in an emotional statement that 'my life ended when he took his last breath', describing him as her 'soulmate, my heartbeat, my being'. Cooke, who had denied the charge, was convicted by a jury by a 10-2 majority verdict following a nine-day trial. He was also banned from driving for 12 and a half years and must take an extended retest before driving again.

Lorry driver jailed for 11 years over fatal A14 crash while using phone
Image: Ipswich Star

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In this story: Christopher Cooke · Paul Cobbold · A14 · Beyton · Suffolk Police · Ipswich Crown Court

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