A DANGEROUS driver who left his ex-girlfriend seriously injured following a crash after drinking four or five cans of Stella Artois lager and taking cocaine faces jail.

Johnathan Smith ploughed into a stationary lorry at an industrial estate after picking his then partner up from a fitness class.

The 38-year-old, from Cwmbran, was found guilty by a jury of causing Jacqueline Walden serious injury by dangerous driving.

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She was trapped in the defendant’s Ford Transit Tipper van following the crash and suffered a broken thigh as well as cuts to her body and forehead.

Witnesses at the scene said Smith had shouted, “I’ve killed her, I’ve killed her!”

The victim spent more than three weeks in hospital after being treated at Cardiff’s University of Wales Hospital before being transferred to Newport’s Royal Gwent Hospital.

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Nuhu Gobir, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “Jacqueline Walden had just finished an exercise class at Cwmbran Stadium on the evening of Tuesday, September 15, 2020.

“She made her way to a shop in Old Cwmbran from where she arranged for her ex-partner, the defendant, to pick her up.

“A short time later he arrived and she sat in the front passenger seat.

“The defendant drove them to a local Aldi where she bought some groceries.

“Her next recollection is remembering being trapped within the vehicle with firefighters talking to her.

“She then remembers being in hospital being spoken to by police officers and told she had been involved in a road traffic collision.”

Mr Gobir said: “So how did this all happen? There are other witnesses that will be able assist as to what exactly happened.

“John Dixon is a Heavy Goods Vehicle driver. At about 5.30pm that afternoon, he parked his HGV, a Scania lorry, on the Springvale Industrial Estate close to the Cwmbran Van Hire site.

“His lorry was parked at the side of the road on the main road of the industrial estate and was in clear view of other vehicles using this road.

“Mr Dixon’s plan was to spend the night sleeping at this location in readiness to collect his delivery the following morning.

“He sent his partner a text message at 8.50pm that night to say goodnight as he was going to sleep.

“He laid down in the bed cabin area and went to sleep.

“The next thing he knew he was awoken by an almighty bang and his cabin rocking, followed by a male voice screaming, ‘Get me out, get me out, help me’.

“He could also hear the male’s voice shouting the name ‘Jacquie’.

“Mr Dixon jumped out of bed, got out of his lorry and saw the front of a blue van totally squashed against the rear of his trailer with part of the van under the trailer.

“There was a male in the driver’s seat of the van. This was the defendant and a woman in the front passenger seat, this was Jacqueline Walden.”

When Smith was interviewed by police the day after the crash he told them he had drank four or five cans of Stella Artois lager before picking her up.

Mr Gobir added: “The defendant also admitted taking cocaine on a weekly basis but denied being addicted.

“He admitted taking cocaine, one to two grams, in the hours before the collision.

“He said by taking this drug he feels normal. He said he was a confident driver.”

Smith, of Waun Road, Cwmbran, represented by Hilary Roberts, had denied causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He claimed he took cocaine the night before the crash and told jurors he collied with the lorry after becoming distracted while talking to Miss Walden.

Although Smith was granted bail by the judge, Recorder John Philpotts, he warned him “all options are open”.

Sentence was adjourned to April 14 for the preparation of a probation report.

The court imposed an interim order banning the defendant from driving.