Driver who caused dad and baby’s deaths loses his appeal
A DANGEROUS driver who caused the deaths of a father and his newborn son has lost his appeal against the length of his prison sentence.
Kyle Kennedy, 30, of Harris Avenue, Rumney, Cardiff, was locked up for 12 years last July for the deaths of Simon Lewis and Simon Junior – unborn at the time of the Lamby Way crash – on New Year’s Eve 2015.
Christopher Rees, defending, told the appeal court at Cardiff Crown Court there were more serious cases that had resulted in similar sentences.
He said: “My submission is that the starting point of 12 years in the circumstances was too long and I don’t think I can expand on the submission any further than that.”
Mrs Justice Nicola Davies upheld the sentence imposed by Judge Paul Thomas QC. She said: “In sentencing the judge said it was [Kennedy’s] prerogative to plead not guilty in what the judge considered to be overwhelming evidence.”
Kennedy had denied two counts of causing death by dangerous driving but was found guilty by a jury.
She said Judge Thomas QC had described his driving as exceeding 70mph on unsuitable roads.
“The judge found it was over a long distance, persistent and deliberately aggressive, a type of driving the applicant had performed before,” Mrs Justice Davies said.
Upon conviction, it emerged Kennedy was banned from driving at the time of the crash and had a string of previous convictions – including for trying to run down a policeman with a motorcycle.
His trial was also told he had taken