Passenger, 32, who survived Cardiff horror crash which killed three friends and injured another is locked up for drink-driving
Passenger, 32, who survived Cardiff horror crash which killed three friends and injured another is locked up for drink-driving
- Shane Loughlin, 32, from Cardiff, appeared in court days after he was bailed
A passenger who survived the Cardiff crash which killed three of his friends and injured another has been put behind bars for drink driving offences.
Shane Loughlin, 32, was bailed in August and awaiting sentencing for driving dangerously in the hours before the fatal crash in March.
After the wreckage was discovered in the St Mellons crash, police found Loughlin's phone in the car which had four incriminating videos on it.
The footage showed Loughlin filming himself driving at between 80 and 90mph as he swerved between lanes, going along the M4 motorway with no hands on the wheel as he inhaled from a balloon.
He was put under an interim driving ban ahead of his scheduled appearance at court, but was arrested again just 10 days later when police caught him driving dangerously at 4.20am on Saturday.
Shane Loughlin, 32, from Rumney, Cardiff was charged with drink driving and driving while disqualified
He today appeared at Cardiff Magistrates charged with driving over the prescribed limit and driving while disqualified.
Prosecutor Gregory Lloyd said: 'The defendant was bailed by the court and given an interim disqualification and 10 days later he was back behind the wheel not just as a disqualified driver but drunk.
'He remains a danger to the community. He knew the risk of driving and did anyway.'
Loughlin admitted the latest charges and his solicitor Neil Evans applied for him to be bailed ahead of sentence.
He told the court as a result of injuries sustained in the crash Loughlin suffered from heart problems and needed further medical attention.
But District Judge David Webster said he feared Loughlin would commit further offences if he were freed and remanded him in custody ahead of sentence later this month.
He said: 'There are substantial grounds for believing that if you are admitted to bail you will commit further offences and that no amount of bail conditions will provide an alternative safeguard - you will be remanded in custody.'
Shane Loughlin, 32, was stopped by police on Aberporth Road in Llandaff North, Cardiff on Saturday at 4:20am
Loughlin, of Rumney, Cardiff, was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court for the previous driving offences on September 15.
Loughlin was hurt in the devastating crash in St Mellons which killed Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21 and Rafel Jeanne, 24, and left Sophie Russon, 20 critically injured.
All five had been on a night out in Newport when the car is believed to have veered off the A48 into trees on March 4 this year.
The group were reported missing having driven from Newport, Gwent, along with M4 to a caravan park in the seaside resort of Porthcawl on the evening before the tragedy.
They were left trapped in the wreckage for two days. Loughlin was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he recovered from his injuries.
References
- ^ Elena Salvoni (www.dailymail.co.uk)
- ^ Rhiannon James (www.dailymail.co.uk)