Drink driver ‘destroyed a family’ in crash

ADRIVER involved in a head-on smash which killed a deputy mayor and left her son and his partner with life-changing injuries has been jailed for three years.

Simon Gilyeat had argued with a friend at a mountain bike event and was driving a Mazda north on the A470 at Commins Coch, near Machynlleth, when he smashed into a Skoda Octavia driven by Sylvia Rowlands on September 23, 2017, Mold Crown Court heard.

Gilyeat had been drinking, had taken drugs, and crossed the centre of the road into the path of Ms Rowlands’ vehicle.

She appeared to have taken evasive action before the fatal collision, said prosecutor David Mainstone.

Ms Rowlands had not long celebrated her 70th birthday, was described as a careful driver, and had gone to pick up her son Mark Rowlands and his partner Kylie Williams when the crash happened.

Ms Rowlands died at the scene, while Mr Rowlands suffered multiple fractures including to his wrist, spine and ribs.

Ms Williams suffered injuries including a fractured femur, her head was split open, she lost half her scalp, endured a broken eye socket and now suffers short term memory loss and is at risk of seizures.

It devastated her family and the local community as tributes poured in for Ms Rowlands – a mother of two sons and grandmother of four.

Gilyeat, 32, of Rickards Street, Graig, near Pontypridd, admitted causing the death of Ms Rowlands and serious injury to Mr Rowlands and Ms Williams by dangerous driving.

Mr Mainstone said he had a blood alcohol reading of 134ml in 100ml of blood, with the legal limit being 80ml, and there were traces of cannabis and cocaine in his system.

A collision expert established Gily- eat had crossed over onto Ms Rowlands’ side of the road and smashed “virtually head-on” into her car.

“There was a can of Stella lager and an empty pub glass and two other empty cans found in the car, a bag of cannabis and a bag of unidentified white powder,” said Mr Mainstone.

Gilyeat was also left in hospital for five weeks with serious injuries after the collision.

Simon Morgan, defending, said the defendant “made a full and frank admission of his guilt and expressed shame, regret and remorse” in a later police interview.

Sentencing Gilyeat to six years – three in jail and three on licence – Judge Timothy Petts said: “They were in the wrong place at the wrong time and victims of a dangerous driver coming in the other direction.

“You killed one person and seriously injured two others, destroying a family in the process.”

Gilyeat was also banned from driving for seven years.