A mother whose 18-year-old son was killed when an unlicensed friend crashed his car after being filmed on Snapchat drinking cider at the wheel has revealed her agony.
Dafydd Hughes died after his intoxicated friend Ricky Davies, 31, who was also high on cannabis, crashed his Ford Focus head-on while speeding on the wrong side of the road last year.
Emma Hughes, 35, said she is ‘still numb’ and could never forgive Davies, who was jailed for eight years.
The drink-driver – who admitted six charges including causing death by dangerous driving – had been enjoying a weekend of drinking and drug-taking when he collected Dafydd from his home in Caerphilly.
Ms Hughes told the BBC: ‘Dafydd, like most young boys, thought he was invincible, and made the wrong choice getting in the car that morning.
‘But it wasn’t Dafydd’s choice for Ricky to drink all day, to speed or be on the wrong side of the road. I’ll never forgive Ricky for driving that day and in the state he was in.’
Dafydd Hughes, 18, (pictured) was killed when an unlicensed friend crashed his car after being filmed on Snapchat drinking cider at the wheel
Dafydd’s mother Emma Hughes, 35, (pictured) said she is ‘still numb’ and could never forgive drink-driver Ricky Davies, who was jailed for eight years
Dafydd’s grandfather Dai had ‘begged’ his grandson not to go, but Ms Hughes said Dafydd ‘wouldn’t listen’.
The teenager suffered catastrophic head injuries and died at the scene of the crash after Davies smashed into another car.
‘Dafydd never ever wore a seatbelt. If he was wearing his seatbelt, Dafydd might have still been here,’ said Ms Hughes.
‘If one person could listen and not do what they were doing then their families won’t feel what we feel every day.
‘I want young people to realise the damage that can be done, even if they’re not driving and in the car with somebody who hasn’t got a licence and is not responsible enough to be driving. Please don’t go with them.’
Approximately 220 people are killed on UK roads every year by drink-drivers.
Shocking footage shows Ricky Davies (pictured) drinking a can of cider at the wheel before speeding on the wrong side of the road last year
Davies, 31, (pictured) was jailed for eight years after the death of his 18-year-old friend
Snapchat videos showed Davies clearly intoxicated while driving while holding a can of cider behind the wheel
Davies was caught on camera just before his friend Dafydd was killed in the crash on their way to a dog show.
Davies, who didn’t have a driving licence, also suffered ‘serious injuries’ and was later found to be double the drink drive limit and with cannabis in his system.
He was seen on CCTV buying cider from a shop and was then filmed downing it at the wheel.
Snapchat videos showed Davies clearly intoxicated while driving while holding a can of cider behind the wheel.
Cardiff Crown Court heard he and his passenger shouting and listening to loud music as they filmed themselves.
His Ford Focus crashed into another car coming in the opposite direction.
Davies admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of Dafydd in his car in Shirenewton, Monmouthshire, in May.
He also admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving, drink driving, driving without insurance and driving without a licence.
Content source – www.soundhealthandlastingwealth.com