Lorry driver jailed for killing mum with pram in Cambridgeshire

A lorry driver has been sentenced to 13 months in prison following a fatal incident in which a woman was struck on the head by unsecured crane equipment while walking with her child in a Cambridgeshire village. The victim, NHS healthcare assistant Rebecca Ableman, aged 30, was pushing her two-year-old daughter Autumn along a pavement beside the B1050 road in Willingham when the accident occurred on 22 September 2022.

During the sentencing at Peterborough Crown Court, Judge Matthew Lowe emphasized how quickly the crane unit could have been safely secured, stating, “Securing the crane unit would have been the work of moments.” Ableman had just left a farm shop on Station Road at approximately 11:15 BST when she was hit from behind by loose equipment on the lorry, suffering catastrophic brain injuries that led to her death three weeks later.

Kevin Miller, the driver from Gayton Road, initially denied causing death by dangerous driving but later admitted to causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving earlier this year. His initial trial in April 2025 was halted to allow more time, and the guilty plea came just as a second jury was set to hear evidence. Prosecutors revealed that Miller was transporting scrap metal on a journey that began in King’s Lynn and included stops in Essex and Cambridgeshire. The crane’s grabber had become unsecured and swung out, striking Ableman. Miller only became aware that the equipment had moved after leaving the village and adjusted it hydraulically. He claimed to have been unaware of the incident until police questioned him.

In a statement, Ableman’s father described her “final act” as pushing her daughter away, calling her a “hero.” Her mother expressed gratitude that Autumn was unharmed, while Rebecca’s partner Chris Tuczemskyi said, “Becky died because basic safety measures were not taken,” urging the court to send a firm message that “safety must always come first.” The judge criticized Miller’s failure to secure the crane as a “criminal failure” and noted a “generally slipshod approach to maintenance,” underscoring the importance of industry guidelines which have since been tightened. Upon release, Miller will also face a two-year driving ban

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