HRISTO ILIEV JAILED OVER TODDLER DEATH CAUSED BY TIKTOK USE AT WHEEL

Hristo Iliev has been sentenced to more than 11 years in prison after killing a toddler while watching TikTok videos on his mobile phone as he drove. The collision occurred near Sleaford, Lincolnshire, in March 2025. Iliev, a Bulgarian national, struck a stationary car while distracted at the wheel. The child died as a result of the crash.

Investigators established that Iliev spent approximately seven minutes viewing clips on TikTok before the collision took place. The footage showed he was engaged with the social media platform continuously during that period rather than attending to the road. The crash involved a stationary vehicle, meaning the obstruction was present and visible ahead of him. The court's sentence reflected the sustained nature of the distraction and the fatal outcome.

The case highlights the legal consequences of mobile phone use whilst driving in the United Kingdom. Courts have the power to impose substantial custodial sentences where distracted driving results in death. Road safety organisations have consistently called for greater enforcement of laws prohibiting handheld device use at the wheel. The sentencing of Iliev follows a series of prosecutions in which social media use has been identified as a direct factor in fatal road incidents.