Grieving husband speaks out after two men are convicted of causing the death of his pregnant wife in a horrific crash on the A17 at Leadenham

A photo has been released by the grieving husband of his young, pregnant wife who was killed in a horrific road smash at Leadenham. The two Nottinghamshire men who caused the collision due to their negligence in towing an unroadworthy van with a '˜make shift' tow bar were jailed for less than four years each.
Aneta Zdeb, the pregnant mum who died in the horror crash on the A17 at Leadenham leaving her husband devastated and three year old daughter crying out for her at nights. EMN-180921-102646001Aneta Zdeb, the pregnant mum who died in the horror crash on the A17 at Leadenham leaving her husband devastated and three year old daughter crying out for her at nights. EMN-180921-102646001
Aneta Zdeb, the pregnant mum who died in the horror crash on the A17 at Leadenham leaving her husband devastated and three year old daughter crying out for her at nights. EMN-180921-102646001

Mother-of-one Aneta Zdeb, 26, from Bradford, was killed after the makeshift tow bar fitted to the £300 van snapped causing a “massive collision.”

Her widow, Kamil Zdeb, 28, a company director and lorry driver, today (Friday) spoke of his family’s suffering after previously telling a court how the couple’s three-year-old daughter had been left without a mother.

Lincoln Crown Court heard stable worker Lukasz Orywal, 32, fled the scene after Mrs Zdeb was killed on the A17 in Lincolnshire but was later arrested eight miles away in Claypole.

Lukasz Orywal. EMN-180918-152019001Lukasz Orywal. EMN-180918-152019001
Lukasz Orywal. EMN-180918-152019001

Orywal had fitted the “makeshift” tow bar to the van after buying it as a “non runner” for just £300 from a motor dealer in Boston. He then arranged for convicted burglar Andy Hurns, 28, to take control of the van as he towed if for 27 miles from Boston, despite him not having a driving licence.

Eye witnesses saw the Vauxhall Movano swinging from side to side and bumping into the back of Orywal’s Chrysler Voyager.

As the two vehicles sped down Leadenham hill on the A17 at 55mph the 90cms rigid tow bar, made from a farm jack, snapped sending Orywal’s car into the oncoming VW Passatt driven by Mr Zdeb, who was taking his young family from their home in Bradford to visit friends in Spalding.

His wife, Aneta, who was 14 weeks pregnant and sat next to the couple’s three-year-old daughter in the rear of the car, suffered traumatic injuries to her liver and heart from the massive impact. She died just a few hours later after being admitted to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

Andrew Burns. EMN-180918-152008001Andrew Burns. EMN-180918-152008001
Andrew Burns. EMN-180918-152008001

Mr Zdeb was also knocked unconscious in the crash which occurred at around 8pm on August 25 last year. His daughter was protected by her child car seat and suffered only scratches to her arms and legs.

Both men were imprisoned for three years and nine months earlier this week.

Mr Zdeb was too distressed to attend but said today (Friday): “There is literally no way of finding comfort from our suffering.

“There isn’t anything that will give back a life to my wife and our children.

“I wouldn’t wish the pain that we have suffered on anyone even the two people convicted at court.

“They have to live with the hardest thing of knowing what they have done.”

An emotional victim impact statement made by Mr Zdeb had been read out in his absence during the sentencing hearing.

In the statement Mr Zdeb described how his three-year-old daughter had been left without a mother and still cried out for her at night.

Mr Zdeb added: “I thought at first that I could cope by myself. Time has showed there is no such possibility.

“I don’t know what to do.

“I just can’t believe she has gone, we were young, our lives infront of us, we had so many plans.

“I have a child, three years old, who needs a mother and she hasn’t got one.

“She cries out at night for her mother.

“She was 26 years of age, she was too young to die, where is the sense.”

Hurns, 28, of Edgbaston Drive, Retford, and Orywal, 32, of Town Street, Lound, near Retford, both admitted causing death by dangerous driving on August 25, 2017.

Both men were also banned from driving for four years and four months and must take an extended retest.