A FATHER accused of causing death by dangerous driving after he allegedly took part a high-speed race cried in the witness box yesterday and said his life has been “destroyed”.

Joseph Cairns, 24, of Dewstow Street in Newport, denies causing the death of 22-year-old Jordan Bolt on September 15, 2013, by driving dangerously.

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths alleges both the deceased and the defendant had been racing against each other along Newport’s Southern Distributor Road before Mr Bolt crashed into and over a roundabout in Alway near Balfe Road.

Cairns broke down giving evidence in Newport Crown Court yesterday. When asked why he failed to stop at the scene, he said: “When I saw it I was traumatised and I'm still traumatised now.

“I was scared of what I'd just seen in the Audi. I didn't want to be anywhere near that.”

Cairns, who works as a mechanic in Newport, had been driving a Subaru Impreza which he had borrowed from one of his customers.

Mr Bolt, who died instantly of “catastrophic” head injuries, was driving an Audi S3 with his girlfriend in the passenger seat. She was taken to the Royal Gwent with injuries.

Earlier this week the court heard a witness describe both cars travelling at speeds of “90 to 100 miles an hour” and were “the length of my car apart”.

Giving evidence to his defence barrister Nigel Fryer, Cairns claimed he was driving seven to 10 car lengths behind the Audi S3 before it crashed. After seeing the Audi launch into the air and land, he slowed down and drove past the wreckage before going home.

Mr Griffiths, prosecution, asked Cairns in cross-examination why he failed to stop. The defendant said: “I was scared out my wits. I couldn’t see anyone else in the vehicle.”

Mr Griffiths asked: “But you didn't bother to stop and find out? You just drove back down the SDR?"

"I stopped for a brief four to five seconds,” Cairns said. “I should have waited for the police to arrive. But what I saw scared me that much I didn't know what I was doing. I'd never seen anything like it. I sat on my bed crying for the rest of the night.

"What I saw that night has destroyed my life. There's no going back now, I can't keep dwelling on things. Although it doesn't seem very nice I don't try to think of it very much because I have to try and get on with my life and my kids."

Cairns also claimed he was doing “normal driving”, conserving his fuel and driving at about 50 to 55 mph on the SDR road.

Cairns has pleaded not guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, as well as two lesser counts of causing death by driving while unlicensed, and while uninsured.

Proceeding.

The judge is due to finish summarising the case this morning [Friday].