Man jailed following fatal collision in Cefn Hengoed

A man has been jailed after he admitted killing a friend and seriously injuring another.

Jason Bradford

Jason Bradford appeared at Cardiff Crown court on Tuesday 7 January where he was sentenced to six years and seven months in prison.

The 34-year-old, from Caerphilly, had earlier pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving, causing death while disqualified from driving, and causing serious injury while disqualified from driving.

The court heard how Bradford and two friends had spent the evening of Saturday 14 November 2020 at a local pub, before Bradford made the fatal mistake to drive, despite being disqualified.

A short distance from the pub, Bradford lost control of the vehicle and it left the road, colliding with concrete posts.

Our officers attended the scene, alongside paramedics. Despite the best efforts of all those involved, Callum West, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bradford and a passenger in the car were taken to hospital for treatment. The passenger received serious injuries which still impact his life today.

After a detailed investigation, Bradford was subsequently charged.

In their victim impact statement, read in court, Callum’s family said:

“We could talk all day about the memories we all hold of Callum and how much of a loved son, brother, cousin, uncle, nephew and friend he was and will always be. Most importantly, Callum was an amazing father to his then 6-year-old daughter, Jessica, who is now growing up without the support and guidance of her beloved dad.

“For over four years Bradford was allowed to live his life freely. He claimed to be unfit to stand trial, yet he was fit enough to get married only a few months after the crash, living the life that Callum will never get the chance to live. All while, the lives of his victims’ families have been put on hold.

“We understand that no legal outcome can bring Callum back or restore what we have lost. However, we hope by sharing our pain and frustration today we can emphasise the grave consequences of reckless decisions.

“Justice for Callum cannot reverse that damage, but it can be a solemn reminder of the value of life and the heavy cost of negligence.”

The family of the injured passenger said:

“We are glad that this ordeal is over, and we can start trying to move on and heal.

“We would like to thank all the emergency services who helped and especially would like to thank the Senior Investigating Officer, PC David Thomas for investigating this unnecessary tragedy and for his support throughout.”
 
Following his sentencing, PC David Thomas, of the Collision Investigation team, said:
 
"This is not only the tragic loss of a deeply loved son but also a father of a daughter who misses him greatly.

"The other passenger received serious injuries which changed their life forever.

"This is due to the reckless and needless actions of what they believed to be a friend. Bradford drove without due care and attention while disqualified, uninsured, and thought to be over the drink drive limit.

"The loss of Callum’s life, and the serious injuries sustained to the other passenger, were completely avoidable. No sentence will ever comprehend the loss of a loved one, or the injuries to another.

"I would like to thank the families involved for their support and understanding throughout this long investigation."

As well as his custodial sentence, Bradford was also banned from driving for 10 years.

Callum West