Driver jailed after his crane hit mum pushing pram

Lorry Driver Sentenced for Crane Accident That Killed Mother

Fatal Incident Involving Pram on Cambridgeshire Road

A 71-year-old lorry driver, Kevin Miller from King’s Lynn, Norfolk, has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after a crane’s loose equipment struck a woman on the head while she was pushing a pram through a village. The incident occurred on September 22, 2022, on a pavement near the B1050 in Willingham, Cambridgeshire.

Rebecca Ableman, a 30-year-old NHS healthcare assistant, was walking with her two-year-old daughter, Autumn, when she was hit by the crane’s unsecured grabber. The collision caused catastrophic brain injuries, leading to her death three weeks later. The court heard she had left a farm shop on Station Road before the accident.

“Securing the crane unit would have been the work of moments,” said Judge Matthew Lowe during the sentencing hearing at Peterborough Crown Court.

Miller initially faced trial in April 2025, where he denied causing death by dangerous driving. However, the trial was paused as legal teams requested more time. In February of this year, he admitted to careless or inconsiderate driving, which led to the fatal accident.

Ableman’s father, Russell, shared in a statement that her final act was to push Autumn away from the impact. He described her as a “hero” who dedicated her work to supporting patients with mental health challenges at Fulbourn Hospital near Cambridge.

Her mother, Susann, emphasized her gratitude that Autumn remained unharmed. “I will be eternally grateful that Autumn was unharmed,” she said.

Chris Tuczemskyi, Ableman’s partner and Autumn’s father, urged the judge to send a “clear message” that safety must always be prioritized. “Becky died because basic safety measures were not taken,” he added.

Prosecutors argued that Miller’s failure to secure the crane boom contributed to the accident. They noted that the equipment had moved during the journey, with the boom hanging over the trailer’s edge. Miller had been transporting scrap metal from King’s Lynn to Essex and Cambridgeshire.

During the trial, Miller claimed he had not realized the crane had shifted until questioned by police. “What’s happened mate? I ain’t hit no-one,” he said, adding he would have stopped had he known.

“It was his failure to adequately secure the boom of his crane which amounted to carelessness,” stated prosecuting barrister William Carter. “He had not taken… an elementary precaution of strapping the crane boom down separately.”

Miller’s defense highlighted his 40 years of experience operating cranes without a strap and described the incident as a “freak accident.” Barrister John Dye noted Miller had no prior driving convictions and was “devastated” by the impact on the Ableman family.

The judge concluded that Miller’s negligence in securing the crane caused Rebecca’s death. “The overall impression I get is of a generally slipshod approach to maintenance,” he remarked. Industry guidelines had been “firmed up” as part of the case.

Following the sentencing, Miller has been disqualified from driving for two years. The case underscores the importance of proper safety protocols in vehicle operations.

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