Man jailed after abandoning child following Crewe collision

A man who abandoned a 12-year-old child following a collision near Crewe has been jailed.

Kieran Bennion appeared at Chester Crown Court on Monday 21 October where he was sentenced to 15 months in prison.

The 32-year-old of McNeill Avenue, Crewe, had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of assault, child neglect, driving without a licence, drink driving and assaulting a police officer.

The court heard how in the early hours of Friday 16 August 2024, Bennion had been drinking heavily which resulted in an altercation with his former partner.

When the victim threatened to phone the police, Bennion snatched her phone smashed it on his knee.

He then left the address in Smallwood near Sandbach in a red Vauxhall Corsa, taking with him a 12-year-old child.

Bennion then drove dangerously on a number of roads towards Crewe, narrowly avoiding other vehicles, before crashing into a bush on Clay Lane, Haslington.

The child attempted to get out of the car but was told to get back in the vehicle by Bennion, who then drove to Asda in Crewe town centre, where he dumped the child at 4.30am, before driving off.

Thankfully, the child was able to contact a friend who came to collect them.

Bennion was subsequently arrested in relation to the incident and made a full admission to all of the offences during questioning.

Following his sentencing Inspector Matt Chapman, of Congleton Area Investigation Team, said:

“Bennion’s behaviour was totally unacceptable, and I welcome the sentence that has been handed to him.

“Not only was he unlicensed and uninsured, he was also heavily intoxicated, yet he chose to get behind the wheel and drive halfway across Crewe with a child in his car.

“Not only did he put the child’s life at risk, but he also posed a risk to the lives of other members of the public who were out in East Cheshire that night.”