‘Selfish’ driver who kept fits a secret is jailed

A“SELFISH” driver who had a fit moments before he mowed down two children has been jailed.

Jason Sweeney, 31, kept his seizures a secret to avoid the DVLA taking away his driving licence.

Parents “froze in fear” as Sweeney’s silver Audi left the road, smashed through iron railings and careered towards the children, who were playing on a lawn.

Two were run over and one suffered life-changing injuries and may never walk properly again. The judge in the case said it was “pure luck” that none of the children were killed.

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said: “The car crashed into a house and rescuers could hear Sweeney saying, ‘I’m sorry, I must have had a fit or blacked out.’

“Police inquired into his medical records and found he started experiencing fits in 2012. He was advised not to drive until his health issues were resolved.”

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard Sweeney ignored the warning and carried on driving for a number of years.

The mother of a schoolboy who was most seriously injured said in a victim personal statement: “He can’t play rugby, which is something he loved to do.

“School is difficult. He can’t sleep and he wakes crying from nightmares. We want our happy little boy back, but it will be a long time before that happens.”

The court heard Sweeney experienced more fits and seizures when he reduced his alcohol intake.

He had had been binge-drinking on holiday in Spain last July and cut down his drinking when he returned home.

The father-of-one had only been back a few days when his car ran over the two boys in a residential suburb of Merthyr Tydfil.

Nick Gedge, defending, said: “It’s a sad irony that trying to do the right thing and withdraw from alcohol is perhaps one of the reasons he suffered the seizure.

“He is mortified and knows he can’t put it right but wishes it had not happened. He should not have been behind the wheel with his driving ability impaired as a result of a known medical condition.”

Sweeney was jailed for three years after admitting causing serious injury by dangerous driving and failing to notify the DVLA of a disability. He also admitted possessing cocaine after three small bags of the drug were found in the wreckage of his Audi.

Judge Geraint Walters told him: “You chose to drive after you had been told more than once that you were liable to have a fit. You deliberately failed to tell the DVLA because you knew your licence would be revoked.

“Effectively, you were duping them by putting your selfish interests first. Now look what has happened. It is pure luck, and only pure luck, that the court is not dealing with the death of a child.”

Sweeney, of Merthyr Tydfil, was banned from driving for four and a half years and must prove he is medically fit before he is allowed back on the road.

South Wales Police collision investigator Huw O’Connell said after the case: “Jason Sweeney played a dangerous game for a number of years by driving against medical advice.

“Unfortunately, two young children who were playing innocently paid the price of his stupidity.”