Matthew Topham: Death crash lotto winner 'wishes he had stopped'

Matthew Topham posed with his partner as he celebrated the record EuroMillions win in 2012

A Euromillions winner who caused a fatal crash while attempting to reached his son's teddy bear has told a jury he wished he had stopped his car.

Matthew Topham, 31, who claimed a £45m jackpot in 2012, said he was reacting to the boy's "piercing scream".

He told Lincoln Crown Court his instinctive response caused him to look away for a "split-second" as he veered into another car's path.

Mr Topham denies causing death by dangerous driving.

His BMW struck an oncoming Ford Fiesta head-on, at North Cockerington, Lincolnshire, on Christmas Day, 25 December 2019.

Mary Jane Regler, 75, the front seat passenger was killed while husband Rodney Regler, 77, who was driving, survived but was seriously injured.

'Airbag in my face'

Giving evidence, Mr Topham said he had set off from his in-law's home when his eldest child told him his two-year-old son had dropped the soft toy.

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He drove on, assuming his youngest son had fallen asleep, but then heard a "piercing scream" like "the sound of a burglar alarm going off".

"I honestly don't believe I thought about what I was about to do," he said.

"I don't recall hitting the car, I just recall waking up to the airbag in my face, and my kids screaming," he said.

He estimated he had looked away for a "split-second".

When defence barrister Paul Greaney QC asked why he didn't stop, Mr Topham replied: "I wish I did, but I didn't."

Jurors heard Mr Topham had been driving for 12 years and had never been involved in another accident or got any points on his licence.

Mr Regler, in a statement read to the jury, said: "It's simple. The other car was on my side of the road and I had no chance to react to avoid a collision."

The jury has been told that he admits causing death by careless driving.

Mr Topham, 31, of Swinderby, Lincolnshire, denies causing the death of Mrs Regler by dangerous driving

Mr Topham also denies causing serious injury to Mr Regler by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.