Crash accused chased love rival previously – court is told

A woman accused of causing death by dangerous driving swore at her alleged victim and chased her days before the fatal collision, a court heard.

Cardiff Crown Court heard Melissa Pesticcio threatened Sophie Taylor and drove aggressively towards her in the lead up to the incident in Adamsdown on August 22 last year.

Giving evidence from the witness box, Ms Taylor’s friend Georgia Flavin said Pesticcio was “nasty” towards them.

The court heard Pesticcio and Ms Taylor had both dated 22-year-old Michael Wheeler, who has already pleaded guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving.

Ms Flavin described an incident of verbal abuse that occurred in Harris Avenue in Rumney in mid-August.

The witness, who was a passenger in Ms Taylor’s black BMW 1 Series, said they parked up and her friend got out to speak to some other friends.

She told the court the defendant then drove past with Wheeler’s sister Lisa and her children in her white BMW.

Ms Flavin said: “When they saw we were parked there they drove around and came back.

“Their car pulled up alongside and Melissa rolled down the window, asking me where Sophie was.”

She told the court Pesticcio said: “She’s lucky I’ve got the kids in the car, otherwise I’d f***ing kill her.”

Ms Flavin said she then saw Pesticcio pull up next to Ms Taylor and heard shouting but could not hear what was being said, although it sounded “quite nasty”.

The witness said they encountered the defendant again a few days later on August 17 when they were in the car park of a McDonald’s.

She told the court Ms Taylor was “scared” and drove away down Newport Road but Pesticcio followed them.