Euromillions £45m jackpot winner, 31, is cleared of dangerous driving after head-on crash that killed 75-year-old woman
- Matthew Topham’s BMW collided with a Ford Fiesta in Lincolnshire in 2019
- Topham, 31, said he only took eyes off the road to retrieve his son’s teddy bear
- The crash killed Mary Jane Regler, 75, who was a passenger in the Fiesta
- Topham, of Swinderby, Lincolnshire, admitted causing death by careless driving
- But jurors at Lincoln Crown Court found driving only careless, not dangerous
A £45million lottery winner has today been cleared of dangerous driving after a head-on crash killed a 75-year-old woman.
Matthew Topham, 31, was acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving after his BMW collided with a Ford Fiesta in North Cockerington, Lincolnshire, on Christmas Day in 2019.
He said he took his eyes off the road for ‘up to three seconds’ to retrieve his son’s teddy bear to stop him ‘screaming like a burglar alarm’ in the crash which killed Mary Jane Regler, 75.
She was a passenger in the Fiesta being driven by 78-year-old Rodney Regler.
Topham – who won £45million on the EuroMillions in 2012 – admitted causing death by careless driving just before his three-day trial.
But jurors at Lincoln Crown Court found Topham, of Swinderby, Lincolnshire acquitted him of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving after deliberating for just over an hour.
Matthew Topham, 31, (pictured outside Lincoln Crown Court today) was acquitted of causing death by dangerous driving after his BMW collided with a Ford Fiesta in North Cockerington, Lincolnshire, on Christmas Day in 2019
Topham (pictured with his wife Cassey) said he took his eyes off the road for ‘up to three seconds’ to retrieve his son’s teddy bear to stop him ‘screaming like a burglar alarm’ in the crash which killed Mary Jane Regler, 75 (right)
Topham earlier told the court that he described his actions as ‘terrible’, but said every time his child let out the ‘massive’ scream it made him ‘crazy’.
Topham, thought to be Britain’s youngest EuroMillions winner, took his eyes off the road for ‘up to three seconds’ before crashing his BMW, he said.
The defendant told how his eldest son had alerted him to the teddy being dropped on the floor, but he initially ignored it because he thought his youngest son had fallen asleep.
Topham said he had taken precautions before setting off from visiting his wife’s parents – including de-misting the windscreen and making sure the lights embedded into his Christmas jumper were turned off to avoid reflection.
Jurors briefly heard from the defendant about his jackpot win – and he explained how he and his wife ‘don’t flaunt our wealth – we’re not on Facebook or Instagram’.
Topham said he had bought a collection of cars, bought a house for his wife’s parents, paid off mortgages for friends and family, and helped his father retire from his work.