Driver jailed after mother lost unborn baby in Somerton crash Published duration 25 January 2019

image caption Stuart Wells pleaded guilty to two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving

A driver who caused a crash in which a mother lost her unborn child has been jailed for more than three years.

A court heard Stuart Wells, 29, may have fallen asleep at the wheel when he drove head-on into two cars on the B3151 at Somerton, Somerset, in March.

Jackie Luxon, who was pregnant, and her two-year-old daughter were both seriously injured in the crash.

Wells, of Sherborne, Dorset, admitted two charges of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was jailed at Taunton Crown Court for three years and seven months and banned from driving for six years and 10 months.

Wells had initially tried to blame a sneeze for the crash but later accepted the case against him.

Sentencing him, Judge David Ticehurst said: "Mr and Mrs Luxon were looking forward to the birth of their child in a few weeks and the fact she is not recognised by the law no doubt adds to their sense of loss."

image copyright Avon and Somerset Police image caption Jackie Luxon's car was hit head-on by Stuart Wells on the B3151 at Somerton last March

The court heard other motorists had seen Wells' Ford Fiesta repeatedly drift in and out of the opposite carriageway over a seven-mile period, while also driving in excess of the 40mph speed limit.

One driver described him as a "real nuisance" and said he was "driving aggressively".

The court was told Mrs Luxon's husband had just bought a new car and she was following behind when the crash took place.

Wells clipped Mr Luxon's car and crashed head-on into Mrs Luxon's car.

In victim impact statements, Mr and Mrs Luxon said that in one-split second "unquantifiable" pain had been inflicted upon them.

They said: "In the space of a few hours we lost one child and another was placed in a medically-induced coma."

Mrs Luxon added: "Our unborn daughter is not recognised in English law as she did not experience life outside my body.

"It's heartbreaking that no prosecution was made for the loss of her life and I hope that this is taken into consideration and changes are made in the law."