Catherine Bradford was sporting a brilliant pink working prime when she was hit by harmful driver Alex Rickwood
A harmful driver has been jailed for killing “most stunning, caring” grandmother when he mounted the pavement she was jogging alongside. Catherine Bradford died on the scene after Alex Rickwood misplaced management of the MG ZR automotive he was uninsured to drive at Excessive Avenue, Dowlais.
Rickwood, now 32, was described by witnesses as driving “like a lunatic” as he failed to barter a sweeping bend whereas driving properly above the 30mph velocity restrict. A sentencing at Cardiff Crown Courtroom on Monday, June 30 heard plenty of heartbreaking sufferer affect statements from Mrs Bradford’s household, who described their ache as “past perception”.
Her daughter Megan and husband Allan described the unimaginable trauma of going out on the lookout for Ms Bradford when she did not return house from her run, earlier than law enforcement officials instructed them the devastating information on the scene.
Setting out the information of the case, prosecutor Clare Wilks mentioned the automotive belonged to Rickwood’s buddy, Ryan Hunt, who had purchased it to revive some 18 months earlier.
It was heard how Rickwood, who labored on the Ford dealership in Merthyr Tydfil, had all the time been “fascinated” by automobiles and was expert in servicing and fixing them, so he had provided his experience to Mr Hunt that day.
The automotive had beforehand been stored off highway with goal for it to be restored for future authorized highway use, it was heard.
Ms Wilks mentioned Rickwood, of Wern Isaf, requested Mr Hunt if he may drive the automotive, regardless that its MOT had expired some eight months earlier, invalidating his third-party insurance coverage. As well as the automotive had a fraudulent commerce plate, which was situated in its home windows.
She described how the pair stopped on the ESSO storage at Penydarren to get petrol earlier than Rickwood “accelerated” up a hill on the eastbound carriageway of Excessive Avenue – which has a single highway moving into every path.
As Rickwood approached the forehead of the hill it was heard how he mentioned “oh f**” as he realised he had misplaced management of the automobile.
“He steered to attempt to acquire management, however over-corrected and drove right into a lamppost, which fell solely into the carriageway,” Ms Wilks mentioned.
It was heard how Mrs Bradford had been sporting a brilliant pink working prime and a pink hat, and that Rickwood had seen a “pink streak” previous to affect. Nevertheless, it was heard that Rickwood didn’t realise he had hit an individual till after the collision.
Witnesses on the scene heard Rickwood say, “f*** I’ve hit her, I’ve killed her,” Ms Wilks mentioned. It was heard how Rickwood stayed on the scene and known as 999. Ms Bradford was pronounced lifeless on the scene at 6.22pm and Rickwood was arrested
Main as much as the incident Rickwood was captured on CCTV footage, proven to the courtroom, travelling as much as 27 miles per hour (mph) in a 20 zone exterior a main faculty.
On the level of affect with Mrs Bradford, it was laborious how the automotive would have been travelling between 36 and 45 mph, however that it will have been travelling sooner within the moments earlier than the collision occurred.
One witness believed he had been driving between 50 and 60 mph, whereas one other mentioned it was “simply over 40 mph”. The velocity restrict for that stretch is 30 mph.
The courtroom heard how there was in depth injury to the bonnet of the automotive, whereas Rickwood and Mr Hunt additionally acquired accidents. Rickwood’s head was bleeding, whereas Mr Hunt believed he had a damaged arm.
Ms Wilks went on to explain the incident from Mrs Bradford’s perspective. She mentioned the 52-year-old grandmother had been spending the afternoon at house earlier than she drove to go to her dad and mom’ home at their home alongside along with her husband.
Following the go to it was heard how Mrs Bradford – a eager runner who took half in charity occasions – requested her husband to drop her off in Dowlais so she may run house.
It was heard how Mrs Bradford requested her husband to place the oven on so she may make dinner as quickly as she got here house, earlier than she kissed him goodbye and went on her run.
The courtroom heard 5 highly effective sufferer affect statements learn out by Mrs Bradford’s members of the family, together with her daughter Megan Thomas, her husband Allan Bradford, her son Adam James, her mom Jean Davies and her sister Helen Williams.
Showing tearful Ms Thomas instructed the courtroom of the agonising manner through which she discovered her mom had died.
She mentioned: “September 19, 2022 was the worst day of my life. A day I nonetheless should re-live. My mam merely went out for a run, and when she didn’t come house on time, I by no means thought that going out to search for her would lead to me and Allan being met with police blocking the highway.
“The blue flashing lights nonetheless hang-out me to this present day. ‘I’m sorry however with the outline you’ve given us, it does sound like Cath, and she or he has handed away.’
“The sound that got here out of me at that second didn’t really feel actual. I felt like I used to be dying too. There was nothing we may do. It was so closing. So unfair. It shouldn’t have been her.”
She continued: “My life won’t ever be the identical once more. The long run that I pictured for myself has been taken away with one egocentric, unforgivable act.
“My mam was my finest buddy, somebody I went to for the whole lot and something. Who do I’m going to now? Who can be there to assist me on my wedding ceremony day? Who can be there if I determine to have my very own kids? Who will give me recommendation solely a mom may give? That’s all been ripped away from me…Now it’s two years on and all of us nonetheless really feel damaged.
“There’ll all the time be somebody lacking at Christmas, birthdays, and simply our on a regular basis lives. My mam ought to nonetheless be right here with us.”
Mr Bradford was unable to attend courtroom in particular person attributable to a current coronary heart operation. As a substitute it was learn by the household’s liaison officer, who acknowledged: “[That evening] she placed on her brilliant pink working prime, her pink baseball cap and the remainder of her gear and requested me to offer her a carry to Dowlais to drop her off in order that she may run again house as she usually did.
“On the best way she needed to name in to see her mam and pa, and I keep in mind her mam commenting on how brightly dressed she was and mentioned she ought to have put her sun shades on. Cath lit up the room along with her stunning smile and mentioned: ‘properly I’m by no means going to get ran over dressed like this am I!’
“These phrases will stick with me for the remainder of my life. We didn’t keep lengthy, in all probability quarter-hour or so. She mentioned her goodbyes and I drove her as much as Dowlais excessive road, to drop her off.
“Earlier than she opened the door she mentioned: ‘give me a kiss,’ which I did, and as she acquired out of the automotive, she instructed me to place the oven on half-hour after I get again house so she may put together our tea when she will get again.
“As I pulled away, I glanced within the mirror and noticed her strolling off down the pavement. I had no concept that this is able to be the final time I’d ever see her.
“After giving the law enforcement officials Cath’s description, they instructed us she had been killed by a automotive that had mounted the pavement. Meg broke down and I simply stood there, numb, it simply didn’t appear actual.
“As I stood there, a non-public ambulance pulled up they usually allowed it by to select up her physique. It was unbelievably traumatic.”
He added: “We had essentially the most wonderful, pleased life collectively, we did nearly the whole lot collectively and could be off on our adventures in our little motorhome as usually as we may.
She was not simply my spouse; she was my finest buddy. My soulmate.”
Addressing Rickwood, he mentioned: “You killed her in such a violent, horrific manner inflicting such horrible accidents on her that she had no probability of surviving…You might have modified me. I’ll by no means be the identical person who I used to be, I don’t see the world the identical anymore.”
Ms Davies instructed the courtroom of her daughter: “[On September 19, 2022] Catherine and Allan known as at our home and we had a chat for some time.
“She was sporting a pink prime, a color she liked to put on. Time glided by and she or he mentioned: ‘I’m going for a run Mam’, so I went to the entrance door to wave them off.
“I can’t inform you how lengthy it was, however the entrance door opened, it was Helen, her sister, coming in crying her eyes out, saying: ‘Mam I’ve acquired a horrible factor to inform you. Catherine was hit on the pavement by a rushing driver and she or he’s lifeless.’
“We simply couldn’t imagine what she was saying to us, then the penny dropped and our lives fell aside.
“Catherine wasn’t coming house ever once more. We miss her, there’s not a day or night time with out interested by her. She liked life, from faculty pals to her working days, she had time for everybody with a smile. She was an individual who liked folks.
“Catherine, I discuss to your {photograph} on a regular basis, even when it’s simply to say ‘hello’. We miss you a lot.”
Wearing his navy uniform, Mr James instructed the courtroom: “The place do I begin in relation to describing the pointless reckless demise of my mom? I chorus from the phrase ‘loss’, because it implies that I’ve misplaced one thing.
“My mom was ‘taken’ – not solely from me but in addition my sister Megan and stepfather Allan and the entire wider household and pals that liked her.
“Previous age, ailments or long run sickness, you possibly can plan and put together yourselves for the inevitable, each in physique and thoughts. Nothing can put together you mentally or bodily in your harmless mom to be killed so violently in a spot the place it ought to by no means have occurred.”
Mrs Bradford’s sister addressed Rickwood, saying: “I need you to know absolutely the devastation you brought about us that day. The day you selected to get in that automotive, with no insurance coverage and pretend quantity plate and drive so quick and so reckless that you just hit our Catherine, who wa working on the pavement, doing what she liked to do, killing her nearly immediately.
“Driving to Tredegar that night, an ambulance and two first responder automobiles got here flying previous us. I turned to my associate and mentioned to him: ‘Oh god, that’s one thing actually critical.’
“Little did I do know that a number of hours later, my niece Meg could be phoning me in a horrible state, telling me that her mom had been killed, these paramedics have been going to Catherine.”
She added: “When you have gone on to create a life and put together for a future, you’ve robbed us all of a future with Catherine – A daughter, mom, spouse, sister, grandmother, auntie and buddy to so so many. I hope you’ve the time to mirror on what you’ve accomplished to us together with your egocentric, irresponsible actions and by no means put one other household by this trauma. You destroyed us as a household that day and for that we are going to by no means forgive you.”
Concluding the prosecution case Ms Wilks instructed the courtroom that Rickwood – who attended courtroom on Monday sporting a gray go well with and carrying a big black sports activities bag – is of earlier clear character, however did have three factors of his driving licence for rushing in a 30 mph zone in 2021.
He pleaded responsible to harmful driving in Could, avoiding a trial, and previous to that pleaded responsible to driving with out insurance coverage and utilizing a fraudulent alternative commerce plate.
Defending Rickwood, Andrew Taylor, mentioned: “No person may fail to be moved by the tributes and the phrases used at the moment.” He known as the case “harrowing” and mentioned it ought to function a warning to everyone earlier than they get in entrance of the wheel.
He described his consumer as a “devoted father” who has been left “traumatised by his personal auctions” and exhibits “real regret”. Mr Taylor described Rickwood’s actions that day as “silly” and mentioned he would “by no means, ever neglect it”.
He mentioned Rickwood resigned from his function on the Ford dealership following the incident and took up a job in development. He identified that the delay in proceedings being heard was not solely the fault of Rickwood, noting that the case had taken “two years” to be heard at Magistrates’ Courtroom.
Sentencing Rickwood Choose Shomon Khan mentioned there is no such thing as a sentence he may go that will make up for the loss and trauma skilled by Mrs Bradford’s household and pals.
Addressing Rickwood, he mentioned: “Your driving fell properly under that required commonplace [of safe driving]. You settle for that you just drove the automobile dangerously. The unhappy truth is you shouldn’t have been driving it in any respect. You were not insured because of the lack of MOT.”
He sentenced Rickwood to 5 years and 5 months in jail. Rickwood was additionally disqualified from driving for seven years and eight months, and he should take an prolonged re-test if he needs to drive after that time.
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