AN EBBW Vale man whose girlfriend was killed when she was thrown from his motorbike told police he lost control of the vehicle moments before, a court heard yesterday.

In Stephen Gilgrass’ statement read out to the jury at Newport Crown Court, the 52- year-old, of Bryn-y- Gwynt, told officers he clipped a car while overtaking around four to five vehicles.

He said the bike accelerated and he lost control, colliding with a Ford Fiesta in King Street, Brynmawr.

Referring to the incident on June 3 last year, he said he must have “screwed the throttle”

on the 1400cc Suzuki bike.

He told police: “I was shooting up the road. It happened so quick.”

Forensic collision investigator PC Dean Burnett told the court he estimated the speed of the bike was between 36mph and 44mph.

He said the road has a speed limit of 30mph, with a warning sign of the junction to the right.

PC Burnett told the court there was also “no evidence of emergency braking on impact”.

Gilgrass, who was with his girlfriend for two months before the accident, denies causing the death of Michelle Warren by careless driving, causing death by driving while unlicensed and causing death by driving while uninsured.

Evidence from Ms Warren’s son, Ben, revealed the couple would often travel on motorbikes to car boot sales, and the court heard they were returning from one in Govilon before the fatal collision.

Mr Warren said his mother had motorbike gear bought for her birthday and would refer to herself as a “biker chick”.

“It was like she found her feet and freedom and was relieved and enjoying life,” he said.

Nathan White, a passenger in the Ford Fiesta driven by his friend, Jamie Griffiths, told the court he thought the road was dangerous.

He said: “It’s like a blackspot, there’s always accidents happening.

“People are always running into the back of you.”

Proceeding.