A BANNED driver who filmed himself inhaling laughing gas balloons while speeding at 90mph just hours before a horrific crash killed three of his friends has had his jail sentence reduced.

Shane Loughlin, 33, from Rumney, Cardiff was found alive in the wreckage of a Volkswagen Tiguan lost in woodlands in St Mellons for 46 hours trapped next to the bodies of three dead friends and one other survivor.

Eve Smith, 21, was killed with Darcy Ross, both aged 21 and from Newport, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, from Cardiff, while bank worker Sophie Russon, 20, survived with Loughlin in the wreckage – found nearly two days later by police.

Loughlin was jailed for 16 months for dangerous driving last year after admitting the offence but that sentence has been reduced by four months at the Court of Appeal.

This means that the defendant should be released from prison imminently.

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His driving ban of two years, eight months and two weeks was also cut to two years, six months and two weeks.

During his sentencing hearing in September, Cardiff Crown Court heard that hours before the tragedy at 2am on Saturday, March 4, 2023 Loughlin was driving the SUV along the M4 motorway with no hands on the wheel as he inhaled from a balloon.

Prosecutor Jason Howells said: “The Volkswagen Tiguan was later involved in a fatal collision that has resulted in a lot of media and public attention.

“This defendant was not the driver when that collision occurred but a rear seat passenger and as such the prosecution opening will include limited information as to events surrounding the fatal collision.”

Mr Jeanne was the driver of the Tiguan at the time of the fatal crash.

The court was told the five and a man Joel Lia had been “partying” at Loughlin’s caravan in Porthcawl where they had drunk alcohol and inhaled balloons.

Mr Howells played videos taken from Loughlin’s own iPhone which he recorded showing him inhaling balloons while driving the SUV.

Mr Lia was sitting next to him in the passenger and he was also inhaling balloons.

The defendant was speeding at between 80mph and 90mph on the M4 and didn’t have his hands on the steering wheel at times.

The court heard he had 23 previous convictions for 37 offences.

These included dangerous driving, drink driving, drug driving and aggravated vehicle taking.

Andrew Taylor representing the defendant says: “Partying and driving motor vehicles is a cocktail that should never be mixed.

“This should be the indelible reminder.”