Anger at 10-year sentence for lorry driver who killed family while using his phone

The family of a woman and three children killed by a lorry driver who was distracted by his phone have said his 10-year jail sentence ‘does not do justice to the crime committed’.

Tomasz Kroker, 30, smashed into the vehicle carrying Tracey Houghton, 45, her sons, Ethan Houghton, 13, and Josh Houghton, 11, and her stepdaughter, Aimee Goldsmith, 11, at 50mph on August 10.

Their car was shunted underneath the back of a heavy goods vehicle and crushed to a third of its size, immediately killing the family, from Bedfordshire, at the scene on the A34 dual carriageway north of Newbury in Berkshire.
The victims’ relatives said Kroker’s use of his phone turned his lorry into a ‘lethal weapon’.

In a statement read on behalf of the family, Aimee’s mother, Kate Goldsmith, said: ‘Today Tomasz Kroker has been sentenced for killing much-loved members of our family. However, in our eyes, the sentence does not do justice to the crime committed. Tracey Houghton, her two sons, Ethan and Josh, and Aimee Goldsmith were innocent victims of his actions.

Undated Thames Valley Police handout file photo of Tomasz Kroker, 30, of Tarjan Walk, Andover, Hampshire, who killed a mother and three children by ploughing into their stationary car while looking at his mobile phone at the wheel, as he is due to be sentenced. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Monday October 31, 2016. Kroker smashed into the vehicle carrying Tracey Houghton, 45, her sons Josh Houghton, 11, Ethan Houghton,13, and stepdaughter Aimee Goldsmith, 11, while travelling at 50mph on August 10. See PA story COURTS Lorry. Photo credit should read: Thames Valley Police/PA Wire NOTE TO EDITORS: This handout photo may only be used in for editorial reporting purposes for the contemporaneous illustration of events, things or the people in the image or facts mentioned in the caption. Reuse of the picture may require further permission from the copyright holder.
Tomasz Kroker has been jailed for 10 years (Picture: PA)

‘On the 10th of August 2016, Mr Kroker made the decision to change his music on his phone whilst driving a lorry at 50mph. His lorry hit a queue of stationary traffic, killing four family members and seriously injuring another driver.

‘In the moment Mr Kroker chose to look at his phone he caused a multiple-vehicle accident that endangered all surrounding road users and took the lives of Tracey, Ethan, Josh and my daughter Aimee.

‘To all intents and purposes, Mr Kroker’s use of his mobile phone whilst driving turned his lorry into a lethal weapon. He was so distracted he made no attempt to slow down.’

Kroker, from Trajan Walk, Andover, Hampshire, had pleaded guilty to four counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Reading Crown Court on October 10.
He was sentenced at the same court today.