Morrisons van driver hit pregnant woman’s car

COURT TOLD VICTIM WENT ON TO HAVE TWO STROKES

A MORRISONS delivery driver smashed into the back of a pregnant woman’s car in a multi-vehicle crash in Northumberland.

Jade Cobb was behind the wheel of the Mercedes Sprinter van when it ploughed into the back of a woman’s Ford Fiesta on the A68.

The woman driving the Fiesta was eight weeks pregnant at the time and was hospitalised. She later suffered two strokes.

Cobb, of Richardson Way, Consett, County Durham, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court last week facing a charge of causing serious injury by careless/inconsiderate driving.

The 25-year-old pleaded guilty to the offence.

The court heard that at around 4.20pm on December 4 last year, police received a report of a crash on the A68 in Northumberland that involved four vehicles.

One vehicle involved was a Morrisons delivery van that was being driven by Cobb.

Paul Coulson, prosecuting, told the court the victim had driven over the brow of a hill and was nearing the junction to Bingfield when she slowed to a stop.

He said: “She saw lights coming up behind her and then remembers nothing else.

“She woke up after the crash and was taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

“The delivery van was being driven by the defendant, who was employed by Morrisons.

“The van failed to slow down on the approach to the junction and collided with the rear end of the Fiesta, pushing it into the carriageway, hitting a Nissan Juke.”

Mr Coulson said Cobb, who had no previous convictions, was travelling over 60mph as she approached the junction, but had slowed down before the crash.

Three days after the collision, the victim, who was eight weeks pregnant, felt numbness in her right arm and leg and went on to “have a stroke caused by the force of the accident”. She went on to have a second stroke on December 11.

In a victim statement, she said she was on sick leave until February 5 this year and suffered “psychological consequences”.

Oliver Jarvis, defending, said Cobb had “pleaded guilty at the very first opportunity” and was of previous good character.

He said she had no points on her driving licence and asked the court to consider a pre-sentence report.

Magistrates agreed and granted Cobb unconditional bail until her next court appearance on May 16. An interim driving ban was imposed.