Tomasz Kroker sentence appeal dismissed over four-death crash

Tracy Houghton, her son Ethan, stepdaughter Aimee Goldsmith and younger son Josh were all killed in the crash

A lorry driver jailed for killing a mother and three children while distracted on his phone has had his sentence appeal dismissed.

Tomasz Kroker will continue to serve his 10-year jail term after the Court of Appeal rejected his case on Friday.

Kroker's lorry ploughed into stationary traffic on the A34 near Newbury in Berkshire in August last year.

Tracy Houghton, 45, died along with her sons Ethan, 13, and Joshua, 11, and her partner's daughter Aimee Goldsmith, 11.

Tomasz Kroker's truck ploughed into a stationary queue of two lorries and four smaller vehicles

Kroker, 30, from Trajan Walk, Andover, Hampshire, pleaded guilty on 10 October to four counts of causing death by dangerous driving.

During his sentencing at Reading Crown Court last year, Judge Maura McGowan said the lorry driver's attention had been so poor he "might as well have had his eyes closed".

Tomasz Kroker was jailed for 10 years in October

Ms Houghton's partner Mark Goldsmith and his 13-year-old son Jake were in a car that was struck by Kroker.

The Vauxhall Zafira being driven by Mr Goldsmith was shunted into the Corsa containing the rest of the family, which was forced underneath a lorry in front, the court heard.

Kroker was scrolling through music selections at the time of the crash.

The court heard he had been so distracted he barely looked at the road for almost a kilometre.

The Corsa was compressed to a third of its normal size, the court was told.