The children of a couple killed by a HGV lorry driver on the M56 spoke of their heartbreaking decision to turn off their dad's life support machine.
Steven Bennett, who used to play as a striker for Barnsley in the Championship, had moments earlier been holding and plugging in his phone before he ploughed into he grey Toyota Aventis carrying Angela and Richard Wong, 56 and 62.
The 29-year-old, who initially tried to claim a bird flying past his driver's cab had distracted him, was jailed for five years last week after admitting two counts of causing death by dangerous driving.
READ MORE: Missing teen, 14, last seen on Snapchat maps five days ago
Mrs Wong died at the scene in Stretton, Warrington, when Bennett's DAF truck collided with a stationary queue of eight vehicles at Junction 9 of the M56 where it joins the M6.
He had failed to react in time to the fact that the vehicles had stopped and drove at 54mph and careered into the back of the Wong's car, shunted other vehicles in the queue, and injured five o thers.
Mr Wong died three days later at the Walton Centre in Liverpool.
The couple had two children and two grandchildren and had been married for 37 years.
Son Robert described sitting at their father's bedside in hospital and having to take the "extremely difficult" decision to switch off his life-support machine, and spoke of the profound impact losing both parents had had on them.
He said: "It has been almost two years since the accident and the pain of losing both my parents, at the same time, has not become any easier.
"It's very difficult to put into words the devastation their needless deaths has caused in my life and that of my family.
"The day after the accident we were informed by police and rushed to hospital to find my father in a vegetative state on life support.
"We spent the next four days by his side before making the extremely difficult decision to switch off his life support machine.
"All we could do was watch the life slip from his body.
"We were all very close and they looked after my children regularly.
"Their lives have been greatly affected as well.
"Personal achievements and things that should be a cause for celebration are overshadowed by the realisation they will never get to see them grow up."
Adding his parents were "undeserving of their cruel fate."
The couple's daughter Charlotte said: “I am a different person to the one I was before 19th September 2019, the day my parents were ripped from my life, my heart and my future.
"They were not only my parents but my best friends.
"Since their loss, I have found it hard to accept and have had issues with anger and frustration.
"I sought help from a therapist as I couldn't take the emptiness anymore.
"To quantify their loss is like trying to quantify the size of the black hole, it is endless and bleak.
"The pain I feel every day is like carrying a weight that never eases.”
Downloads from Bennett’s phone showed that he was using his phone on a regular basis while he drove from the Liverpool area to the crash scene.
At the point where the crash occurred there was obvious interaction by Bennett with his mobile phone.
Following the sentencing Police Sergeant Andrew Dennison, of Cheshire Police’s Serious and Complex Collision Investigation Unit said: "Richard and Angela were a devoted couple who had been married for over 37 years.
"They were loving parents and grandparents, and their deaths sent shockwaves throughout their local community. My thoughts are with their family and friends at this difficult time.
"While no sentence will ever bring Richard and Angela back, I hope that the conclusion of this case will provide them with some closure.
"I also hope that this case will act as a warning to others. Driving is a complex task, drivers should always give full attention to what they are doing as situations can change rapidly.
"This collision could have easily been avoided, Bennett had a clear view of the traffic ahead of him at least 20 seconds before he hit the stationary traffic. But sadly he was grossly inattentive on the approach to this clear hazard.
"Once he took his eyes off the road his vehicle became a lethal weapon, and by the time he realised what was happening it was too late.
"This need to use his phone whilst driving has cost Steven Bennett his liberty and Angela and Richard their life."
Bennett had admitted causing death by careless driving, but denied the more serious death by dangerous driving, although he changed his plea right before trial to the more serious offence.
District Crown Prosecutor Victoria Colvin, of CPS Mersey Cheshire said: “The events of that day were really tragic. Mr and Mrs Wong were a devoted couple with lots of family and friends and had so much to live for.
"Their lives were cut short by the actions of Steven Bennett.
“He denied his wrongdoing for some time but eventually admitted what he had done, thankfully bringing this case to a relatively swift conclusion.
"When we are behind the wheel of a vehicle, we carry a big responsibility and our actions can cause dreadful consequences as we have seen in this case.
“Steven Bennett would no doubt like to turn back time but he can’t.
"He must face the consequences of what he did.
"The Crown Prosecution Service would like to thank all of the witnesses for their help in bringing this prosecution and the family of Mr and Mrs Wong for their dignity and composure in the face of overwhelming grief.
"Our thoughts are with them at this time.”
Receive newsletters with the latest news, sport and what's on updates from the Liverpool ECHO by signing up here
