'Worst crash police have ever seen' - teenage driver jailed after killing two friends

A teenager has been jailed after causing the deaths of two of his friends in a car crash at a petrol station in Wales, described by police as the "worst crash ever seen". Owain Hammett-George, who was driving an Alfa Romeo, crashed into the Northway Garage in Bishopston, Swansea in May 2022.

His passengers, Kaitlyn Davies and Ben Rogers, both 19, tragically died at the scene, while another passenger, Casey Thomas, then aged 17, suffered serious injuries.

Hammett-George, now 19 but was 17 at the time of the accident, initially pleaded not guilty to the charges against him. However, last month he changed his plea, admitting to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

During a sentencing hearing at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday, it was revealed that Hammett-George, from Awel Deg, Birchgrove, Swansea, was driving at more than double the 30mph speed limit leading up to the petrol station.

A speeding driver who wasn't wearing a seatbelt has been convicted of causing the deaths of two passengers in a horror smash, Wales Online reports.

Prosecutor Ian Wright told the court that Lewis Hammett-George was driving at "grossly excessive speeds" when he lost control of his car and hit a grass bank causing the vehicle to flip into the air and rotate before colliding with a concrete pillar on May 31, 2022.

An investigation revealed that Hammett-George had placed the seatbelt into its lock and sat on it in order to stop the car's warning sound and light being activated.

Despite the efforts of people at the scene, passengers Kayleigh Davies and Shane Rogers died of their injuries.

Another passenger, Laura Thomas, was taken to hospital and is still recovering from "life-changing injuries".

Two police officers who attended the scene described it as "utter devastation" and "the worst collision damage they had ever witnessed in more than two decades".

The impact of the crash was so strong that the engine of the Alfa Romeo was found 15 metres away from the point of impact. Hammett-George was found by a fence, hurt, and taken to hospital.

He said he was driving at 60mph and a pothole made him lose control. But the court heard there was no pothole, and he might have been going over 70mph.

The car was doing 41-43mph when it crashed.

Mr Rogers' mum, Carla King, shared in court: "Ben was my only son. He was full of kindness and a social butterfly. I don't want to get out of bed I don't want to face the world. I am a shadow of the person I used to be. The fact I will never see him smile again is crippling. I can't comprehend that I will never see my son or hear his voice again."

Mr Rogers' dad, Lee James Rogers, said: "Ben was loving and kind-hearted. He loved life and would light up the room with his presence and personality. The last time I saw my son he was in the morgue this will haunt me forever."

Miss Davies' mum, Kimberly Davies, told the court: "She was an amazing human being with a wonderful sense of humour. She was very kind, caring, and loving. Every day is a constant struggle. Life is so hard not having her by my side. She would light up every room she entered. I cannot even go into her bedroom without crying. The pain is indescribable."

Miss Thomas, who was seriously hurt in the crash, had a statement read out in court. It said: "As a result of that collision I have lost two of my friends. I will never be the same outgoing person I was before the crash. But I will not let the crash define who I can be or who I will be. This accident has had a massive impact on myself and my family. Because of [Hammett-George's] stupidity it is very hard for me to do the things that a normal 19-year-old would do."

The court heard at an earlier hearing that just three months before the tragic crash which happened at around 11.15pm Hammett-George had been caught speeding on Cockett Road in Swansea in the afternoon of February 28. However, his father Dewi George, as the car's owner, told authorities he had been driving to protect his then 17-year-old-son's driving licence.

At Swansea Crown Court on Thursday, defence barrister Alex Greenwood mentioned that Hammett-George had been paying close attention in the dock to the words of the grieving families. Hammett-George wrote a letter to the court saying he is filled with the "deepest and most profound remorse" and that he "can't begin to fathom the pain it has caused".

He also said: "I was the driver of the vehicle which led to the untimely deaths of two precious lives. I am committed to accepting the legal consequences that will follow as a result. If there was any way I could turn back time and prevent this tragedy I would do so in a heartbeat."

Judge Geraint Walters, addressing Hammett-George in court, said: "On this particular evening you were in your motor vehicle with three of your young friends. You were showing off. You drove at grossly excessive speeds to the point where you lost control of the vehicle and immediately extinguished the lives of two of those in your car, leaving the third passenger with life-changing consequences both physically and emotionally.

He also mentioned the "over-indulgence" shown to Hammett-George by his parents and pointed out that his father had chosen to take the blame for a speeding offence committed by his son three months before the tragic Bishopston crash. He added: "I am sadly dealing with cases like this altogether too frequently. There may well be good reason perhaps for the government to consider whether new drivers should be able to carry any passengers. It is not the first time I have said it and it probably won't be the last."

Speaking directly to Hammett-George, Judge Walters said: "You have your life. Two of the other people involved in this case do not."

The judge sentenced him to six years in a youth detention unit. Hammett-George was also banned from driving for eight years and told he would need to pass an extended driving test before he could get a licence again.