Pregnant crash victim's family welcomes sentence review

Frankie Jules-Hough was in the car with her two sons and a nephew before the crash

The family of a pregnant woman killed by a speeding driver have welcomed a decision to have his sentence reviewed by the Court of Appeal.

Frankie Jules-Hough, 38, died when Adil Iqbal hit her car after filming himself driving at 123mph.

Iqbal was jailed for 12 years after admitting causing her death on the M66 in Bury, Greater Manchester on 13 May.

Ms Jules-Hough's partner, Calvin Buckley, hoped it was "the first step towards some form of justice".

"I think this case is a good opportunity to send a message across to people that you can't drive around recklessly and put everyone else's lives in danger just for a bit of a thrill or for whatever reason," he said.

"At the moment it doesn't feel like we have had justice for Frankie and baby Neeve.

"It doesn't seem like they've had their justice at the moment," he said.

"That would help us come to terms with what happened and get on with other aspects of our lives.

"It would just help repair a bit of faith in the justice system."

The mother-of-two had pulled her Skoda Fabia onto the hard shoulder with a puncture.

Iqbal, 22, undertook a motorbike in a BMW before swerving, over-compensating and hitting a barrier.

He spun before ploughing into Ms Jules-Hough's car at an estimated 92mph.

She had been 17 weeks pregnant with her first daughter, who had already been given the name Neeve.

Calvin Buckley has called for a campaign to raise awareness of dangerous driving

Ms Jules-Hough suffered brain injuries and died along with her unborn child two days later in hospital.

Her nine-year-old son and four-year-old nephew, who were in the car along with her other son, were left in a coma with serious brain injuries.

The long-term outcomes of their injuries remains uncertain, a court heard.

Before the crash, Iqbal had been driving his father's BMW with one hand and holding his phone with the other as he filmed himself - possibly to upload to social media - tailgating and undertaking other vehicles.

Adil Iqbal was told he was guilty of "the most indescribable reckless driving"

Iqbal, from Accrington in Lancashire, admitted causing the death of Ms Jules-Hough by dangerous driving and causing serious injury to her son and nephew.

His 12-year jail sentence was described as "insulting" by Mr Buckley who had rushed to the crash scene as emergency services pulled her out of the car.

He previously said: "If people aren't getting tough sentences for this, they are going to keep doing it."

In 2022, judges were given the power to hand down greater sentences to those convicted of death by dangerous driving.

Previously, the maximum tariff was 14 years but it was increased to life imprisonment.

The Attorney General has decided that Iqbal's sentence should be reviewed by the Court of Appeal.