Woman sentenced for Bridgwater fail-to-stop collision

A woman has been sentenced for a 2022 fail-to-stop collision in Bridgwater in which 85-year-old Jean Bentley tragically died.

Jane Hill, 57, of Bridgwater, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving when she appeared in court in October.

At Taunton Crown Court on Tuesday 25 November, the judge said she “did not have the courage to do the right thing,” handing her a suspended prison sentence and banned her from driving for three years.

Hill did not immediately stop after hitting Jean, who was walking home, with her car. Instead she moved her car away before returning and calling the ambulance service.

At 4pm on Friday 23 September 2022, emergency services received the report of an injured woman in the road.

Jean was taken to hospital by air ambulance but, despite the best efforts of medical staff, she died of her injuries the following day.

Officers quickly established that she had been the victim of a fail-to-stop collision and work began to identify the vehicle involved – and its driver.

CCTV enquiries showed Hill driving her car out of Dukes Mead before returning to the scene. Her car was seized and a forensic examination found evidence it had been involved in the collision.

Hill was arrested and denied her involvement to officers but she was later charged.

‘She was the heart of our family’

In victim personal statements read out in court, Jean’s daughters spoke of their “awesome” mum and the significant impact her death has had on their family.

One said: “She was more than just a mother—she was the heart of our family, a devoted nan to five beautiful grandchildren, and a woman who brought love, strength, and kindness into every life she touched.

“On 23 September 2022, my mother’s life was violently taken in a hit-and-run incident. The person responsible didn’t stop, didn’t call for help at first, and didn’t take responsibility. Instead, they left her lying on the road like she didn’t matter. But she did matter—so much.  

“Her death has left a void that can never be filled. My family has lost a vibrant, energetic, sport mad lady. My siblings and I have lost the woman who guided us, supported us, and loved us unconditionally. And her five grandchildren——have been robbed of her hugs, her wisdom, and the joy she brought into their lives.  

“Every holiday, every birthday, every ordinary day is now marked by her absence. We will never hear her laugh again, never get her advice, never see her smile as she watches her grandchildren grow. The pain is unbearable, and it is made worse by the fact that her death could have been prevented.  

“Whoever did this didn’t just take a life—they shattered a family. They took away a woman who was loved beyond measure, and they left us with grief, anger, and unanswered questions.

Sentencing brings ‘answers’

The judge described Jean as a “brilliant individual” and acknowledged the significant loss her death has been to her family.

He sentenced Hill to six months in prison, suspended for two years, banned her from driving for three years and ordered her to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.

DS Angus Moncur said: “Hill’s refusal to admit her guilt until last month’s trial left Jean’s family without the answers they deserved for three years and put them through an unnecessarily prolonged court process.

“Her behaviour was nothing short of cowardly and I’m glad that she has now admitted what she did and has faced justice through the courts.

“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.”