‘Boyfriend and rival were racing before woman was killed in crash’

Michael Shuck said he saw smoke coming from the back of his friend Jay Bayliss’ Volkswagen Polo as he jockeyed to get ahead of Neil Brooks.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Mr Bayliss’ girlfriend Sophie Brimble died when he lost control of his car as it began to rotate and slide towards a metal lamppost.

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.

The jury heard that Mr Bayliss was so badly injured as a result of the crash in Brynmawr that he is not fit to be prosecuted.

Sophie Brimble

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

He denies both charges. The alleged offences are said to have taken place at around 12.20am on Wednesday, July 26, 2017.

Giving evidence at the trial, Mr Shuck said he was in a convoy that evening that was making its way along the A4047.

The first car was being driven by Mr Bayliss, with Miss Brimble as a passenger, the second car was being driven by Mr Bayliss’ friend Gareth Mapstone, with their pal Mr Shuck as a passenger, and the third by Brooks who was alone at the wheel of Volkswagen Bora.

Mr Shuck said Mr Bayliss and Brooks began to compete for pole position.

He told the court: “They were racing each other. Jay was driving on the wrong side of the road going up Beaufort Hill.”

Cross-examined by Jeffrey Jones, defending Brooks, Mr Shuck admitted he saw smoke coming from the back of Mr Bayliss’ Polo.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe earlier told the jury. “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.

“Dangerously driving well above the speed limit, encouraging Mr Bayliss to do the same – the one driver was by his actions egging the other on.

“It’s the race that led to the collision that in turn led to the death of Miss Brimble.”

Proceeding.