Crash trial woman is cleared (From Free Press Series)

Crash trial woman is cleared

10:27am Thursday 2nd July 2009

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AN ABERGAVENNY woman was cleared of causing the death of a couple by dangerous driving.

Judge Helen Mifflin ordered the jury in the trial of Samantha Mead, 29, of Penpergwm, to find her not guilty of causing the deaths of Abergavenny couple Nicholas Fermor, 49 and his wife, Susan, 52.

Judge Mifflin made the order on the grounds that the prosecution was not able to prove the cause of the crash in relation to the death by dangerous charges.

During the trial Newport Crown Court heard Ms Mead’s Subaru Impreza collided with the Fermor’s Saab 95 on the B4598 between Abergavenny and Raglan, near The Hardwick Pub, on April 20 last year.

Mead told police at interview that she swerved to avoid a green Rover car which had pulled out in front of her. The passenger side of Ms Mead’s car clipped the rear end of the Rover, leaving paint from one vehicle on the other, the court heard.

Judge Mifflin said the jury would be unable to make a fair decision in the trial because they had not heard evidence from the driver of the green Rover or any witnesses to the collision between the two cars.

She said that in the absence of that evidence she would be asking the jury to speculate about what must have happened, which would be unlawful.

She said: “On my direction the prosecution have not proved the case on this defendant, I am asking you to return a not guilty verdict in respect of each count.”

Ms Mead was formally discharged and will face no further charges.

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