A driver who fatally struck an 85-year-old grandmother and fled the scene has been given a suspended prison sentence.
A Fatal Collision and a Failure to Stop
Jane Hill, 57, crashed her car into Jean Bentley as the pensioner was walking home in Bridgwater, Somerset. The collision occurred at approximately 5pm on September 23, 2022. Instead of stopping at the scene, Hill drove away. She later returned and dialled 999 to report that a woman was injured in the road.
An air ambulance was scrambled and Jean was rushed to hospital, but she succumbed to her injuries the following day. The grandmother-of-five could not be saved.
A Prolonged Investigation and Eventual Guilty Plea
Avon and Somerset Police quickly identified the incident as a 'fail-to-stop collision'. Officers traced the vehicle involved and its driver, Jane Hill. CCTV footage captured Hill driving out of Dukes Mead and later returning to the location of the crash.
Her car was seized and a forensic examination confirmed its involvement in the fatal incident. Hill was arrested and initially denied any responsibility. She only later admitted her crime, pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving.
Detective Sergeant Angus Moncur stated that Hill's initial denial meant Jean's family waited three years for answers and endured an unnecessarily prolonged court process. He described her behaviour as "nothing short of cowardly".
A Family's Unbearable Loss
In powerful victim impact statements read at Taunton Crown Court, Jean Bentley's daughters paid tribute to their "awesome" mother. They described her as the heart of their family, a devoted nan, and a vibrant, sport-loving woman.
"Her death has left a void that can never be filled," one daughter said. "The person responsible didn’t stop, didn’t call for help at first, and didn’t take responsibility. They left her lying on the road like she didn’t matter. But she did matter, so much."
The family spoke of the profound grief and anger caused by her preventable death, stating that the driver "didn’t just take a life—they shattered a family."
The Court's Sentence
On Tuesday, November 25, Hill, of Bridgwater, was handed a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. The judge told her she "did not have the courage to do the right thing" at the scene.
In addition to the suspended sentence, the court imposed a three-year driving ban and ordered Hill to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.
DS Moncur concluded: "If you get behind the wheel of a vehicle you have a responsibility to other road users. If you don’t take that responsibility seriously, then it can have utterly tragic consequences, as it did for Jean and her family in this case."
