A YOUNG woman was killed by her boyfriend and another driver after they raced each other through a residential area at speeds of more than 80mph, a court heard.

Sophie Brimble died as a result of the dangerous driving of her partner Jay Bayliss and Neil Brooks, prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said.

Brooks, aged 49, of Lansbury Terrace, Beaufort Terrace, Ebbw Vale, has gone on trial accused of causing the 20-year-old Crickhowell woman’s death by dangerous driving.

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Mr Cobbe told the jury at Cardiff Crown Court Mr Bayliss is not facing the same charge because he suffered life changing injuries in the crash.

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Sophie Brimble 

He said: “He is not fit, nor will ever be fit, to attend court and face an allegation that he caused the death of Miss Brimble by the result of his dangerous driving.”

Brooks also faces the charge of causing serious injury to Mr Bayliss by dangerous driving.

He denies both charges.

Mr Cobbe told the jury: “Sophie Brimble died as a result of a road traffic collision at around 12.20am on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

“Miss Brimble had been a front seat passenger in a Volkswagen Polo driven by a young man called Jay Bayliss.

“Mr Bayliss had been driving along A4047 King Street in the direction of Brynmawr.

“It is the prosecution case that Mr Bayliss was travelling way above the speed limit in the lead up to the collision.

“You will see that he had been driving at excessive speed through a residential area, in excess of 80mph.

“It is the prosecution case that Mr Bayliss lost control, his car began to rotate and it slid towards a metal lamppost. The result was a catastrophe.”

The prosecutor told the jury of nine men and three women that they will see some photographs of the damage suffered by the car which will give them an indication of the level of impact.

Mr Cobbe said: “Miss Brimble died at the scene as a result of the injuries that she sustained, Mr Bayliss also suffered life changing injuries.

“It is the prosecution case that Mr Bayliss was not solely responsible for the collision.

“It is the prosecution case that Mr Bayliss was driving at excessive speed because he had got himself involved in an impromptu race with the defendant, Mr Brooks.

“It is a race that started about half a mile prior to the collision.

“The defendant had been driving his Volkswagen Bora back from Ebbw Vale towards this girlfriend’s address, his girlfriend lives just off the A4047.

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“As he drove, he found himself behind two cars. The car at the front (the lead car) he recognised as belonging to Mr Bayliss, the car behind that (immediately in front of him) belonged to Gareth Mapstone.”

The court heard the route from Ebbw Vale took them towards a roundabout that is known as the Badminton Roundabout before going up a road known locally as ‘the incline’.

“It is this incline that leads on to the A4047,” Mr Cobbe said. “It is the prosecution case that aggressive driving by both Mr Bayliss and the defendant as they made their way up the incline deteriorated into the impromptu race that in turn caused the catastrophic collision.

“It is the prosecution case that they both then drove at high speed along that road, having little or no regard to their excessive speed of the fact that it was through a residential area.

“You will hear that they pushed their vehicles hard through this residential area, both of them reaching speeds in excess of 80mph, their focus now on their race.”

He told the jury: “It is the prosecution case that they share responsibility for her death, it is the prosecution case that they both caused her death by their dangerous driving.”

Proceeding.