‘Me and my family are still devastated and I believe we’ll never fully recover’
A mother has spoken of her heartbreak at losing her “happy-go-lucky” daughter in a collision that turned her family’s life upside down forever.
Denise Richards spoke out after Joseph Fettah and Jamie Oaten were jailed for causing the death of her 30-year-old daughter Jenna Miller by driving dangerously.
In a victim impact statement read out during the hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, she said: “What I write can never describe losing Jenna so suddenly and unnecessarily. I just don’t know where to begin. Me and my family are still devastated and I believe we will never fully recover.”
The collision occurred near the Texaco garage on the A4055 Cardiff Road in Barry around 9pm on September 27 last year.
Ms Richards said she and her daughter were “best friends” and used to see each other or speak on the phone every day.
She said: “I would give anything to hear the phone ring. I realise Jenna will never ring again for a chat.”
Ms Miller left behind a husband and two sons, aged six and 10.
Their grandmother, who is currently looking after them, said: “How can that be fair to lose their mum at such a young age?”
Reflecting on the court process, she said: “My thoughts about the two drivers – they will never understand or realise the utter devastation and heartbreak they have caused. It might have given them a bit of a buzz to drive so quickly on a public road, but their moment of madness has left me and my family with a lifetime of sadness. They still have a future in front of them, but Jenna does not.”
She added: “We find it difficult to come to terms with the fact we will never see Jenna again.”
“I will never get over losing my beautiful, intelligent, happy-go-lucky daughter.
Speaking after the hearing, the family said: “We are still devastated at the sudden and tragic manner in which we lost our beautiful Jenna. She was an entirely innocent victim and clearly in the wrong place at the wrong time when her path crossed with these two boy racers whose selfish, immature and arrogant behaviour in deciding to race their cars on a public road resulted in such devastation.
“Fettah even tried to argue that he was not involved in the incident but we are pleased that a jury saw through his lies and found him just as guilty as Oaten for causing Jenna’s death by dangerous driving.
“We wish to express our gratitude to all persons who tried in vain to help Jenna on the night as well as the many witnesses who subsequently attended the court trial to give evidence in difficult circumstances.
“We also wish to thank the South Wales Police and Gwent Police forces and the Crown Prosecution Service for their detailed investigation which has resulted in a successful end to proceedings.
“It’s heartbreaking that two young boys, through no fault of their own, now have to grow up without the mum they idolised. We are totally committed to bringing the boys up so that they develop into decent young men who Jenna would have been proud of. Finally, we hope that the lengthy prison terms handed down to Oaten and Fettah give them the opportunity to reflect at the heartache and devastation they have caused.”
Senior Investigating Officer, Sergeant Chris Grey, from South Wales Police, said: “This is a tragic case which has had a huge impact on so many lives, particularly those of Jenna Miller’s young sons, who will now have to grow up without their mother.”
“Fettah protested his innocence throughout the court proceedings, maintaining that he couldn’t have been responsible for Mrs Miller’s death as his car wasn’t involved at the point of impact. However, the evidence clearly showed that his actions in the moments before the collision were instrumental in contributing to the tragedy. Any driver who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle and drives in the manner he and Oaten did is, without question, putting their own life and the lives of other road users in grave danger. I’d urge parents to ask themselves whether buying a powerful car for an inexperienced young driver is really a sensible option.”