A drink-driver killed his front seat passenger and seriously injured his rear passenger after flipping his car and colliding with a concrete fence. He was disqualified from driving at the time of the collision and had drunk around five pints of lager in a pub beforehand.
Jason Bradford, now 34, had been out drinking at the Junction Inn in Hengoed, Caerphilly, with Callum West, 27, and Ryan Waters, now 24, on November 14, 2020. Later that day, Bradford flipped the silver Renault Clio he was driving and caused the death of Mr West, who was pronounced dead at the scene, and seriously injured Mr Waters.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Tuesday heard Bradford had been jailed for eight months and disqualified from driving for two years and four months after he was convicted of dangerous driving in 2018. He remained disqualified having not completed an extended test, and having never obtained a driving licence.
Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said the defendant attended the Junction Inn with Mr West and Mr Waters at around 4pm on the day of the crash. It was estimated by the bar manager that each of them ordered seven pints of Coors lager. She also said Bradford and Mr West had gone to the toilet, where there was later a strong smell of cannabis. All three left the pub at around 10.10pm.
At 10.42pm, the police received a phone call from a 15-year-old boy who reported a car had flipped in Hengoed Road and had collided with a garden wall, with the three occupants trapped inside the vehicle. The teenage witness described feeling concerned about the nature of the defendant’s driving prior to the collision, with the Clio drifting across two lanes. He said he pushed his younger brother out of the way and ran to the other side of the road.
The witness said the Clio flipped upside down and collided with a concrete fence, causing debris to fly past him with glass everywhere. The first emergency responders arrived at the scene at around 10.50pm where members of the public had crowded around the vehicle, with attempts made to administer first aid.
A police officer described Mr West as “motionless and unresponsive” with Mr Waters groaning in pain and drifting in and out of consciousness with a severe head injury which was bleeding. A pulse could not be found on Mr West and he was declared dead at the scene at around 11.36pm. All three men had to be cut from the wreckage by the fire brigade.
A post mortem examination was carried out on Mr West’s body and a cause of death was given as contusions and a subarachnoid haemorrhage. He had also suffered a fractured skull and blunt vehicular trauma.
Mr Waters was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, where he was found to have suffered a traumatic subarachnoid haemorrhage, chest injuries, a fractured pelvis, a fractured right arm and fractures to both his legs. After spending a month in a coma, he was kept in intensive care for 45 days. Since his discharge from hospital Mr Waters’ cognition has slowed and the court heard he is easily fatigued and requires support with decision-making.
A forensic collision investigation was carried out and the likely cause of the collision was found to be a failure by the driver to navigate a bend prior to leaving the road. The speed of the vehicle at the time of the collision could not be accurately calculated but it was estimated to be between 37mph and 45mph. On the basis Bradford had drunk around seven pints of Coors lager, it was estimated his reading would have been 132 micrograms of alcohol per 100ml of blood, with the legal limit being 80 micrograms.
In his initial police interview, Bradford, of Rhos Dyfed, Aberdare, claimed he had no recollection of the events of the night of the collision. He was initially found unfit to enter a plea or to stand trial and was remanded in hospital under section 35 of the Mental Health Act, but during his remand he was abusive and threatened violence against staff. He later pleaded guilty to causing death by driving without due care and attention, causing death when driving whilst disqualified and causing serious injury when driving whilst disqualified. The court heard he has previous convictions for various motoring offences.
In a victim personal statement read on her behalf, Mr West’s mother Karen West said: “Four years, one months and 24 days ago, the day our lives changed forever. We stand here today not just in memory of Callum but for those individuals whose hearts have been irreversibly shattered. We could talk all day about our memories of Callum, a much-loved son, brother, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. He always was and always will be, but most importantly he was an amazing father to his six-year-old daughter Jessica. We have all had to come together to act in the role of dad to make sure she’s always well cared for her. She misses him every day and visits his grave which she decorates with sticks spelling ‘I love you’. His death has left a void words can barely describe. The pain inflicted by the choices made on the day of Callum’s death is profound and everlasting.
“Our lives changed forever and each year is a painful reminder of a cherished soul we badly miss. Three people made bad choices on that night and have faced the consequences. The judge in the previous case said it was sheer luck (Bradford) did not kill or injure anyone but he did not heed this warning. He seeks sympathy for self-inflicted injuries, he was allowed to live his life freely and was able to get married a few months after the crash. He has been given the chance to live a life Callum never will. He has dragged this out for four years, laughing in the face of Callum’s family and the criminal justice system…
“The crash has had a traumatic effect on our lives resulting in the need for counselling, medication and time off work. It has caused us anger the defendant has shown a lack of sympathy or remorse and has never acknowledged or made eye contact with us during this time. We accept it was Callum’s choice to get in that car, however (the defendant’s) actions since this incident in prolonging this case has prolonged our closure and grief. His behaviour during the mental health assessment has highlighted a lack of respect to staff. We believe during the time he’s spent in prison, he’s shown no remorse or rehabilitation for what he has done. As a family we do not accept his late guilty plea, we see this as a ploy to reduce this sentence and no genuine remorse.”
In her victim personal statement, Mr Waters’ mother Michelle Waters said: “When the incident occurred we were awoken at 5am with a knock at the door, a moment every parent dreads. We were rushed to hospital to identify Ryan and informed by a surgeon he was in a coma, had a serious brain injury and broken several bones in his body. Ryan was in a coma for over a month and then intensive rehabilitation for several months to learn how to walk and talk again. As a close family we were all traumatised by the incident and it took a lot of time to feel anywhere near close to normal again.
“Ryan still struggles to find his place in the world with reduced mobility and reduced levels of independence. We’re lucky to still have him. Although he’s not the same Ryan, he remains a loving and cherished member of our family and for that we are grateful. His long-term prognosis means he will never be able to run again and will likely have arthritis and dementia at a young age. We express our heartfelt sympathy to Callum’s family.”
In mitigation, Nick Gedge said there were genuine concerns for his client’s psychiatric state and that he suffered serious injuries in the collision which has left him with memory issues. He said the defendant has “deep remorse” for the death of Mr West and the injuries caused to Mr Waters. The barrister said it was possible Bradford was under the drink drive limit at the time of the collision, and he submitted his client had drunk only five pints. He said the defendant was brought up by his grandmother, but is supported by his mother and wife.
Sentencing, Judge Simon Mill said: “You made a grossly irresponsible decision to drive having been disqualified from driving and having drunk approximately five pints of lager. No responsible person would drive in those circumstances.”
Bradford was sentenced to six years and seven months imprisonment. He was disqualified from driving for seven years, from the time he is released from custody.
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