Driver jailed after his crane hit mum pushing pram

Driver Jailed After Crane Equipment Struck Mother Pushing Pram

A 71-year-old lorry driver, Kevin Miller from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, has received a 13-month prison sentence following a tragic incident where a woman was struck by loose crane parts while pushing a pram in a Cambridgeshire village. The accident occurred on September 22, 2022, on the B1050 in Willingham, where Rebecca Ableman, a 30-year-old NHS healthcare assistant, was walking with her two-year-old daughter, Autumn, on a pavement.

Ableman, who resided in a village near St Ives, was leaving a farm shop on Station Road when she was hit from behind by the crane’s unsecured grabber. The judge at Peterborough Crown Court noted that the equipment had moved while Miller was driving through the area, causing catastrophic brain injuries. She passed away three weeks later. Miller initially denied causing the death by dangerous driving but later admitted to careless or inconsiderate driving in February 2025, just as a second trial jury was set to begin.

“Securing the crane unit would have been the work of moments,” stated Judge Matthew Lowe during the sentencing hearing.

Miller’s defense argued that the incident was an “unfathomable” tragedy, emphasizing his experience as a “hard-working, decent man” who had secured cranes without straps for 40 years. His lawyer, John Dye, claimed Miller had no prior driving convictions and believed the hydraulics would prevent movement of the grabber assembly. However, prosecutors highlighted his failure to properly secure the crane boom and noted that his lorry was also poorly maintained.

Ableman’s father, Russell, shared in a statement that his daughter’s final act was pushing Autumn away. Susann, her mother, expressed gratitude that Autumn remained unharmed, while her partner, Chris Tuczemskyi, called for a “clear message” that safety must always be prioritized. “Becky died because basic safety measures were not taken,” he added.

The prosecution explained that Miller had begun his journey in King’s Lynn, transporting scrap metal, and as he passed through Willingham, the crane’s boom “slewed” to the nearside. The judge ruled that this negligence was the direct cause of Ableman’s death. Miller’s disqualification from driving for two years will begin after his release from prison.

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