Lottery winner says he took eyes off road in fatal crash to ‘stop son screaming’

A lottery winner accused of killing a pensioner in a Christmas Day crash has told a jury he took his eyes off the road to retrieve his son’s teddy bear in order to stop him “screaming like a burglar alarm”.

Matthew Topham, reported to be Britain’s youngest EuroMillions jackpot winner after pocketing £45 million in 2012, is alleged to have caused the death of 75-year-old Mary Jane Regler by dangerous driving at around 5.50pm on December 25 2019.

The 31-year-old described his actions as “terrible”, but said every time his child let out the “massive” scream it made him “crazy”.

The court had heard Topham took his eyes off the road for “up to three seconds” before crashing his BMW into a Ford Fiesta driven by 78-year-old Rodney Regler on Louth Road in North Cockerington, Lincolnshire.

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”.

Asked if he would take his lottery win back, the defendant said: “No. I don’t think anyone would.”

Defence QC Paul Greaney then asked: “Were you and your wife reckless with the money?” to which Topham replied: “No.”

Explaining how his two-year-old son had made him turn his back on the road, the defendant told the court: “Initially, he just started a small whine as children do, and then just let out a massive scream and wouldn’t stop.

“Ever since our youngest was a baby, one of his traits was this scream.

“It was like someone had set off a burglar alarm and it made me crazy.

“When he was younger there were some stages where I had to pass him to my wife because I couldn’t deal with the noise.”

Addressing his reasons for pleading guilty to causing death by careless driving, Topham said: “I believe what I did was a careless act and it was wrong for me to turn around like that, and had I been of a reasonable mind I wouldn’t have done it.

“I can’t explain to myself why I did it.

“If I was consciously making a decision, I hope I would come to a better conclusion than I did that day.

“If I could take it back I would, but I can’t.”

Topham, of Swinderby, Lincolnshire, denies causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.