Drink-drug driver killed passenger, 18, in crash
AN INTOXICATED driver caused the death of his teenager passenger after drinking cider and smoking cannabis behind the wheel.
His driving was described as “horrendous” after he caused a collision with an oncoming car after drifting at speed into the opposite lane.
Ricky Davies, 30, killed his backseat passenger Dafydd Hughes, 18, and caused serious injury to Graham Leader, whose car was hit during the collision on the B4235 between Chepstow and Shirenewton, in Monmouthshire, on May 8 last year.
Mr Hughes suffered catastrophic head injuries and died at the scene of the crash, having not worn a seat belt.
Following the collision, Davies was found to be almost twice the drink-drive limit and had cannabis in his system.
He had been drinking and taking cocaine the night before at a nightclub and house party with Mr Hughes’ father David Davies, before driving to a dog show in Usk.
Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke sentenced Davies to eight years in prison and disqualified him from driving for 12 years.
She said: “Your actions caused immeasurable pain and lifelong suffering to many people, most severely his family...
“No sentence passed by this court will adequately reflect the harm you have done and the grief you have caused. Dafydd Hughes was 18 years old, his life was incalculable.
“You have caused immense distress to a close-knit family. Their grief will last forever. Your driving that day was truly appalling.
“Those that saw your driving knew a serious accident was inevitable and it was, causing the death of a young person.”
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court yesterday heard that Davies and David Davies attended Koolers nightclub in Merthyr Tydfil before attending a house party in Pontlottyn, Caerphilly.
By 5am on May 8, David Davies wanted to go home but Davies wanted to “keep partying”.
Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe told the court Davies picked up friend Dylan Powell at 6.30am and went on to collect Dafydd Hughes, while his father had gone to bed.
Mr Hughes was warned by his grandfather that Davies was “blotto” but took no notice.
The party drove to Abertysswg mountain, where they smoked cannabis before driving to Tredegar to buy alcohol.
CCTV played during the hearing showed Davies driving his black Ford Fiesta with one passenger’s legs hanging out of the window.
Davies was drinking and smoking as he cruised around the area before picking up other passengers and returning to Tredegar to buy more alcohol.
Snapchat videos played in court showed Davies clearly intoxicated while driving and holding a can of cider behind the wheel.
He and his passengers were shouting and listening to loud music as they filmed themselves.
The defendant drove through back lanes to the dog show in order to avoid police as he didn’t have a driving licence.
Mr Powell described Davies’ driving as “horrendous”, saying he was all over the road and was swaying from side to side.
At one point, Davies clipped another car and took its wing mirror off while overtaking.
Having arrived at the dog show, Davies decided he wanted to go home and left with Mr Hughes and Mr Powell.
Describing the defendant’s driving, Mr Cobbe said: “Nobody was wearing a seat belt and the defendant’s driving was worse than before, driving too quickly and going round bends far too quickly.
“Dylan Powell asked him to slow down and the defendant was involved in three episodes of dangerous overtaking.”
The collision took place at 1.30pm, with Davies overtaking cars driven by Daniel Beer and Graham Maynard shortly before.
They witnessed the occupants of the car throwing debris from windows and saw Mr Powell gesturing abuse.
Davies drove aggressively behind Mr Maynard, accelerating and decelerating in an attempt to overtake him over double white lines.
Dash-cam footage from Mr Maynard’s car showed Davies overtaking him, and seconds later they approached the scene of the collision.
The defendant had taken a bend at speed, which caused his car to drift entirely into the opposite lane and into the path of Graham Leader’s Peugeot 5008.
Both he and his wife, Kim Leader, braced themselves before the collision after it became apparent they were going to be hit.
Mr Cobbe said: “It was a massive impact, rendering Mr Leader unconscious and caused him to suffer significant injuries.
“Mrs Leader also suffered serious injuries, though she was able to get out of the car and saw to her husband, struggling to get him out of the car and their dog.
“She was understandably hugely distressed by what had happened and confronted Dylan Powell, the only one to get out of the car.
“The impact had been so loud it attracted the attention of residents in the area and many of them were quick to the scene and provided assistance, as did other road users.”
The court heard both Mr Hughes and Davies were unconscious but when the defendant came round he was disorientated and aggressive.
It was plain Mr Hughes had suffered terrible injuries, and despite the best efforts of paramedics and those at the scene he was pronounced dead.
The official cause of death was given as blunt injury to the head.
Davies, of Aneurin Terrace, Rhymney, spent a week in hospital.
The level of alcohol in his system was measured at 152mg per 100ml of blood, the legal limit being 80mg.
He was arrested and admitted the offences. He later pleaded guilty to causing death and serious injury by dangerous driving, drink- and drugdriving and driving without insurance or a licence.
His car, bought a week before the collision, was also examined and had a bald tyre which would have caused it to fail the MoT.
As a result of the collision, Mr Leader suffered fractures to his vertebrae and several bruises across his body which meant he was unable to work for three months and left him with mobility issues.
He is now a nervous driver and suffers flashbacks. Mrs Leader also suffered bruising and flashbacks about the incident.
A victim personal statement was read out on behalf of Mr Hughes’ mother Emma Hughes.
She said: “On that day a neighbour from three doors up called at my house and told me Dafydd was dead. My family had trouble getting hold of me.
“I went to Dafydd’s house and it was there I saw a police officer.
“I had the worst news imaginable, that Dafydd had been killed.
“It didn’t seem real, I felt numb and empty and didn’t want to believe it. I went to the Grange Hospital and it wasn’t until I saw him in the mortuary I realised he was dead.
“No parent should have to identify their baby.”
In mitigation, Marian Lewis said her client was a friend of the deceased, which “intensified his feeling of guilt and grief”.
She said the defendant can’t remember the collision and last remembered being on the beach in Porthcawl the day before.
The barrister said he suffered depression and anxiety and had previously made an attempt on his own life. He was prescribed medication but self-medicated with cannabis and alcohol.