Crime

Horror crash driver videoed himself drinking at wheel

Published

4 years ago

April 1, 2022

A DRINK-DRIVER who caused the death of a colleague when he crashed his car following a Christmas party has been jailed for seven-and-a-half years.

Meirion Emerson Roberts aged 26, of Heol Las, Ammanford, has today been sentenced at Swansea Crown Court, following his conviction on 24 February for causing the death of Lewis Morgan, aged 20, by dangerous driving.

Both Roberts and Lewis had attended their work’s Christmas party during the afternoon of Friday, 4^th December 2020, and had left the Cottage Inn, near Llandeilo at around 6pm.

Lewis had arranged a lift home with his brother, while Roberts decided to drive his Vauxhall Corsa after consuming at least five or six pints of cider.

He later drove to Lewis’s home in Carmarthen, where he consumed more alcohol before going for a drive with Lewis in the passenger seat.

Snapchat footage shown to the court during the trial showed Roberts speeding throughout the journey, reaching speeds of 100mph whilst drinking alcohol at the wheel on the A48 between Carmarthen and Cross Hands.

While driving through the village of Blaenau, towards Ammanford, Roberts lost control of his car and collided with a lamppost, completely severing it at the base, before going on to collide with a garden wall, completely destroying it.

Tragically, Lewis sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.

Roberts had argued during his trial that his driving had only amounted to careless driving, however, the jury returned an unanimous guilty verdict and convicted him of causing death by dangerous driving.

Roberts, who was also injured in the collision, provided a specimen of blood at around 2.15am the next day, more than five hours after the crash, which gave a reading of 54 milligrammes per 100 millilitres of blood, with the legal limit being 80.

However, Dr Rhys Williams, an expert in alcohol analysis, told the trial Roberts would have been over the limit at the time of the crash, with a reading no lower than 101 milligrammes.

Sentencing Roberts, His Honour Judge Christopher Vosper QC told him that despite having consumed alcohol he did not attempt to moderate his driving, instead choosing to drive at excess speed, which ultimately caused him to lose control of his vehicle, resulting in the death of his work colleague Lewis Morgan.

Lewis’s family, in their victim impact statement, said: “Not only have we gone through the trauma of losing Lewis but the ordeal of a full trial has been heart-breaking.

“Our suffering has been extended, prolonged.

“This has been incredibly difficult.”

His sister described Lewis as “the brightest, the most beautiful of us all and he never left the house without the biggest smile on his face”.

HHJ Vosper QC sentenced Roberts to seven and a half years imprisonment and disqualified him from driving for 6 years and 9 months, with the requirement to pass an extended test before he has his licence returned.

Sgt Sara John, from Dyfed Powys Police’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: “As always, our thoughts are with Lewis’s family at this difficult time.

“No sentence passed by the court could adequately reflect the grief inflicted on them by Meirion Roberts.

“His arrogant decision to drive his vehicle whilst drunk has taken Lewis away from them forever, something that they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

“Drink-driving is never acceptable and is something that we see time and time again destroying lives.

“This case has sadly proved that getting behind the wheel of your car whilst drunk has devastating consequences.”

Anyone who has concerns about someone they believe to be driving under the influence are asked to contact police on 101 (or 999 if they are posing an imminent danger) or alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Crime

Swansea man jailed for online child sex offence dies in prison

Published

4 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

A SWANSEA man who was jailed earlier this year for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child has died while in custody.

Gareth Davies, aged 59, of the Maritime Quarter, was serving an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted in May of sending sexually explicit messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old girl. The account was in fact a decoy used as part of an online safeguarding operation.

The court heard that Davies began communicating with the decoy between November and December 2024 and persistently pursued the individual, later attempting to arrange a face-to-face meeting. He was arrested after being confronted by the decoy operators.

Davies had pleaded not guilty but was convicted following a trial. At the time of sentencing, police described the messages as extremely concerning and said his imprisonment was necessary to protect children.

It has now been confirmed that Davies died at HMP Parc on Wednesday (Nov 27) while serving his sentence.

The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman has launched an independent investigation into the death, which is standard procedure in all cases where someone dies in custody. No cause of death has been released at this stage.

A coroner will determine the circumstances in due course.

Crime

Pembrokeshire man sent to Crown Court over death by careless driving charge

Published

6 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Court Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE man has been sent to the Crown Court to stand trial accused of causing a death by careless or inconsiderate driving.

Alexander MacCallum, aged 28, of Beach Road, Llanreath, Pembroke Dock, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 18).

The court heard that MacCallum is charged with causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving following an incident on Thursday (June 13, 2024).

No plea was entered at this stage of the proceedings.

Magistrates were told the case was too serious to be dealt with at magistrates’ level and ordered that it be sent to the Crown Court for trial.

MacCallum was sent to the Crown Court on unconditional bail, with further proceedings to take place at a later date.

The prosecution was brought by Dyfed-Powys Police. No defence solicitor was formally recorded at the hearing.

Crime

Breakthrough in 1993 Tooze murders: 86-year-old man arrested after cold case review

Published

8 hours ago

December 18, 2025

Tom Sinclair

POLICE investigating one of Wales’ most disturbing unsolved double murders have arrested an 86-year-old man on suspicion of killing elderly couple Harry and Megan Tooze more than three decades ago.

South Wales Police confirmed the arrest on Tuesday (Dec 17), following a forensic cold case review into the 1993 killings, which shocked the rural community of Llanharry and cast a long shadow over the South Wales justice system.

Harry Tooze, aged 64, and his wife Megan, 67, were found shot dead with a shotgun at their isolated Ty Ar y Waun farmhouse on July 26, 1993. Their bodies were discovered inside a cowshed on the property, concealed beneath carpet and hay bales, having been shot in the head at close range.

The brutality of the killings and the remoteness of the scene prompted one of the most high-profile murder investigations in Wales at the time.

Conviction later quashed

In 1995, Cheryl Tooze’s then-boyfriend, Jonathan Jones, was convicted of the murders and sentenced to life imprisonment. The prosecution case rested heavily on a partial fingerprint found on a teacup at the farmhouse.

However, the conviction unravelled just a year later. In 1996, the Court of Appeal quashed the verdict, ruling it unsafe and highlighting serious concerns about the reliability of the fingerprint evidence. The decision was widely regarded as a significant miscarriage of justice.

Jones, who consistently maintained his innocence, was supported throughout the ordeal by Cheryl Tooze, whom he later married. The couple have since spoken publicly about the devastating impact of the case on their lives.

Despite renewed appeals and periodic reviews, no one else was charged and the murders remained unresolved for nearly 30 years.

Operation Vega and forensic advances

In 2023, marking the 30th anniversary of the killings, South Wales Police launched a full cold case review under Operation Vega. The review was led by forensic scientist Professor Angela Gallop, one of the UK’s most respected figures in forensic investigation.

Detectives re-examined preserved exhibits from the original crime scene using modern forensic and DNA techniques that were not available in the early 1990s. Police have not disclosed which items were re-analysed or what evidence led to the latest arrest.

On December 17, officers arrested an 86-year-old man on suspicion of murdering Harry and Megan Tooze. He remains in police custody while enquiries continue. No further details about the suspect have been released at this stage.

Police appeal for information

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Mark Lewis described the arrest as a significant moment, but stressed that the investigation is ongoing.

He said: “While this arrest is clearly a significant development in the investigation, our enquiries are very much ongoing. This case has affected many people over the years and our aim is to find answers to the unanswered questions which remain about their deaths over 30 years on.

“Even with the passage of time, I would urge anyone who has information about the murders, no matter how small it may seem, to come forward and speak to police.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact South Wales Police, quoting occurrence number 2300016841.