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Wales News Service
A "drugged-up" nurse who killed a man in a crash after taking a high dose of prescription painkillers has been jailed for five years and four months.
Cerys Price, 28, crossed the central reservation of the A467 near Newport in July 2016 and crashed into the car of Robert Dean, 65. He died at the scene.
Price, of Brynmawr, Blaenau Gwent, had taken tramadol before the crash.
She denied causing death by dangerous driving, but was found guilty at a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.
She was also found guilty of causing serious injury by dangerous driving to the passenger in her car, ex-boyfriend Jack Tinklin, 30.
Timothy Evans, prosecuting, said: "Price had consumed an amount of tramadol significantly higher than any therapeutic range. She was in no way fit to drive a car. She was in a drugged-up state.
"A completely innocent man, simply minding his own business driving along the opposite side of the road, lost his life."
The level of the drug found in Price's blood after the crash was 1,803 micrograms per litre of blood - in excess of any therapeutic level.
Mr Dean was travelling to his granddaughter's fourth birthday party when he was killed.
Katherine Harris, Mr Dean's daughter, said: "We received the devastating news that dad had been killed while in the front garden with my children.
"We all punished and blamed ourselves for dad being there at that moment.
"Seconds either way was all that was needed. I found myself questioning why my daughter was born on that day."
His wife, Anne Dean, said the couple were days away from celebrating their 46th wedding anniversary.
She said in a statement: "I totally relied on him and he was my rock. I feel totally lost and empty. He was a wonderful husband, son, father and grandfather.
"I don't think I've been the same since. I struggle to breathe. My lasting memory is seeing him in the mortuary of the Royal Gwent Hospital. I will never forget that he was on his own there."
Another of his three daughters, Helen Howell, said the family had been "dragged through hell".
In a statement outside the court, his family said: "Our heartache is a life sentence and Cerys' family will also be broken by this."
Price had not been prescribed the medication, but bought it while in Mexico - she told the court she had taken a single tablet the night before the crash.
Judge Michael Fitton told her: "This was a seizure induced by tramadol. You have destroyed your good name, you have destroyed your current career.
"I suspect you cannot bring yourself to admit to your family the level of tramadol you were really consuming.
"You can, and you will, recover from this. Mr Dean has been denied that opportunity."
She was driving on the A467 between Rogerstone and Bassaleg when she crossed the central reservation in her Isuzu D-max pick-up truck and crashed head-on into Mr Dean's Vauxhall Astra.
Price and Mr Tinklin intended to go camping, but argued and the defendant turned the car around to go home.
After the crash, police searched the car and found a tub of tramadol, which had 26 of 100 tablets left.
During Price's trial, an expert toxicologist described the concentration of the drugs in her system as "toxic or lethal", with such levels "associated with seizures".
Price told the court she had been diagnosed with epilepsy since the crash and believed she suffered an epileptic fit before the collision.
Mr Tinklin described how Price "slumped" over the steering wheel and drifted over the central reservation - he said he was not aware Price was taking tramadol.
Mr Tinklin was seriously injured in the crash, while Price spent about a month in hospital as a result of her injuries.
Kelly Huggins of the CPS said: "Being a qualified nurse, Cerys Price should have known the dangers of driving after taking these tablets, but she drove nevertheless.
"Her actions resulted in tragic consequences for an innocent motorist, her passenger and herself."
John Dye, defending, said: "She is an extremely hard-working young woman. She made an extremely poor choice on the day. She has shown genuine remorse."
Sgt Bob Witherall, of Gwent Police, said: "It was Cerys Price's decision to get behind the wheel and drive, even after taking a strong and unprescribed medical painkiller.
"Her flagrant disregard for other road users, both inside and outside of the vehicle she was in control of, has resulted in tragedy."
What is tramadol?
- A strong painkiller used to treat moderate to severe pain
- Is only available on prescription
- Common side effects include feeling sick or dizziness
- It is possible to become addicted to tramadol, but this is rare
- It cannot be taken by people with illnesses which cause seizures
Source: NHS