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| Defence plea in road deaths case | Defence plea in road deaths case |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| The jury trying an 18-year-old accused of killed four teenagers has been asked by the defence to find him guilty on a lesser charge of careless driving. | The jury trying an 18-year-old accused of killed four teenagers has been asked by the defence to find him guilty on a lesser charge of careless driving. |
| Craig Ramshaw's barrister said the evidence did not support a conviction on a death by dangerous driving charge. | Craig Ramshaw's barrister said the evidence did not support a conviction on a death by dangerous driving charge. |
| Louise Jones and Kayleigh Parry, 16, and Katie Roberts and Danielle Caswell, 15, died in last November's crash. | Louise Jones and Kayleigh Parry, 16, and Katie Roberts and Danielle Caswell, 15, died in last November's crash. |
| Mr Ramshaw, from Ebbw Vale, denies causing death by dangerous driving at the Cardiff Crown Court trial. | Mr Ramshaw, from Ebbw Vale, denies causing death by dangerous driving at the Cardiff Crown Court trial. |
| The girls, friends at Glyncoed Comprehensive in Ebbw Vale, were all in the back of the car. | The girls, friends at Glyncoed Comprehensive in Ebbw Vale, were all in the back of the car. |
| They were not wearing seatbelts when they were killed when the car crashed on the Llangynidr mountain road. | |
| The prosecution alleges Mr Ramshaw was "showing off" as he drove his mother's car at "considerable speed" three days after passing his test. | The prosecution alleges Mr Ramshaw was "showing off" as he drove his mother's car at "considerable speed" three days after passing his test. |
| This is not the defendant just committing an error. It's the defendant showing off at speed, playing with others' lives Martyn Kelly, prosecuting | This is not the defendant just committing an error. It's the defendant showing off at speed, playing with others' lives Martyn Kelly, prosecuting |
| Mr Ramshaw has said he felt "pressurised" to take the girls for a ride in his Vauxhall Corsa but "gave in". | Mr Ramshaw has said he felt "pressurised" to take the girls for a ride in his Vauxhall Corsa but "gave in". |
| He and a front seat passenger who were wearing seat belts survived with minor injuries. | He and a front seat passenger who were wearing seat belts survived with minor injuries. |
| Patrick Harrington QC, defending, asked the jury whether Craig Ramshaw's driving fell below the standard expected of an ordinary competent driver, in which case he said it was careless. | Patrick Harrington QC, defending, asked the jury whether Craig Ramshaw's driving fell below the standard expected of an ordinary competent driver, in which case he said it was careless. |
| Or was it, he asked, "far" below that standard - in which case it was dangerous. | Or was it, he asked, "far" below that standard - in which case it was dangerous. |
| He invited the jury to conclude that two days after passing his driving test, Mr Ramshaw had made a minor error - turning the wheel slightly too far on a bend - which had resulted in the deaths and had wrecked the lives of many families. | He invited the jury to conclude that two days after passing his driving test, Mr Ramshaw had made a minor error - turning the wheel slightly too far on a bend - which had resulted in the deaths and had wrecked the lives of many families. |
| The four girls were pupils at the same Ebbw Vale school | The four girls were pupils at the same Ebbw Vale school |
| Mr Ramshaw's own family, he said, had "been to hell and back". He said the police driver in giving evidence for the prosecution had himself conceded that a minor error could have caused the crash. | Mr Ramshaw's own family, he said, had "been to hell and back". He said the police driver in giving evidence for the prosecution had himself conceded that a minor error could have caused the crash. |
| Mr Harrington said that while Mr Ramshaw was proud of his car and may have been showing it off, there was no evidence that he had been showing off behind the wheel or that he had been driving at excessive speed. | Mr Harrington said that while Mr Ramshaw was proud of his car and may have been showing it off, there was no evidence that he had been showing off behind the wheel or that he had been driving at excessive speed. |
| He said it was unusual for a defence barrister to urge a jury to find his client guilty but he urged the jury to do just that, on the lesser charge of careless driving. | He said it was unusual for a defence barrister to urge a jury to find his client guilty but he urged the jury to do just that, on the lesser charge of careless driving. |
| But summing up the prosecution case, Martyn Kelly said there was no reason for Mr Ramshaw to show off the car, which he had had for months. | But summing up the prosecution case, Martyn Kelly said there was no reason for Mr Ramshaw to show off the car, which he had had for months. |
| What he was showing off, said Martyn Kelly, was the fact that after passing his test, he could drive without supervision. | What he was showing off, said Martyn Kelly, was the fact that after passing his test, he could drive without supervision. |
| Character witnesses | Character witnesses |
| Mr Kelly said that at 40mph - which was the speed Mr Ramshaw had thought he was doing - he could have taken the bend without difficulty. | Mr Kelly said that at 40mph - which was the speed Mr Ramshaw had thought he was doing - he could have taken the bend without difficulty. |
| At 50mph, which he conceded he might have been doing, a police driver had no problem. It was only at 70mph that he got into trouble, Mr Kelly said. | At 50mph, which he conceded he might have been doing, a police driver had no problem. It was only at 70mph that he got into trouble, Mr Kelly said. |
| "This is not the defendant just committing an error. It's the defendant showing off at speed, playing with others' lives," Mr Kelly said. | "This is not the defendant just committing an error. It's the defendant showing off at speed, playing with others' lives," Mr Kelly said. |
| He said the jury could not give Mr Ramshaw credit for his age and lack of experience. | He said the jury could not give Mr Ramshaw credit for his age and lack of experience. |
| It was a sad fact, but the law made no distinction between a driver of 17 or 70, he said. | It was a sad fact, but the law made no distinction between a driver of 17 or 70, he said. |
| A number of character witnesses also addressed the jury, including Mr Ramshaw's father and stepfather, and a partner in the plumbing firm where he is an apprentice. | A number of character witnesses also addressed the jury, including Mr Ramshaw's father and stepfather, and a partner in the plumbing firm where he is an apprentice. |
| His mother Alison, a social worker, described Mr Ramshaw as a kind, caring boy who had never caused her any concern. | His mother Alison, a social worker, described Mr Ramshaw as a kind, caring boy who had never caused her any concern. |
| Asked about the effect of the crash on him, she said: "He was devastated, he was a boy lost". | Asked about the effect of the crash on him, she said: "He was devastated, he was a boy lost". |
| The judge is expected to sum up on Tuesday. | The judge is expected to sum up on Tuesday. |