Pals were ‘drinking and inhaling laughing gas’ before Cardiff crash which killed three

09/08/2023

Three friends killed in a car crash which injured two others near Cardiff earlier this year had been drinking and inhaling nitrous oxide prior to the incident, a court heard.

Driver Rafel Jeanne, 24, and passengers Darcy Ross, 21, and Eve Smith, 21, died in the crash when a Volkswagen Tiguan veered off a slip road and came to rest in a small copse of trees. Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were injured but survived the incident near the St Mellons area of Cardiff on Saturday March 4 this year.

The group were finally discovered on Monday, March 6 – around 46 hours after the crash happened. The length of time taken by Gwent Police and South Wales Police to find the group, who had been reported missing by family members, is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Sophie Russon, Eve Smith, and Darcy Ross were missing for nearly two days before their car was found

The details emerged in a behind-closed-doors hearing at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court for Joel Lia, the sixth member of the group, who had been driving the Volkswagen Tiguan an hour before the crash. He is charged with driving without a licence or insurance in Porthcawl. His case is being dealt with under a system known as the single justice procedure, where magistrates handle non-custodial criminal prosecutions in private rather than open court.

Detective Constable Joanne Mahony took a witness statement from Lia in which he admitted driving the car even though he did not have a licence.

Joel Lia gave a police statement (
WALES NEWS SERVICE)

She said: “During the course of the statement, Joel stated he had driven along the M4 from Porthcawl to his sister’s address in Llanederyn at approximately 1am on March 4. Whilst the interview was not monitored, Lia asked me if anything would happen to him as he knew he did not hold a full UK driving licence and he had admitted driving.

“In light of this investigation CCTV inquiries were conducted along the route of the M4 towards Cardiff to capture the vehicle.”

CCTV from a petrol station in Porthcawl showed the Volkswagen Tiguan pulling on to the forecourt at 1.08am and leaving three minutes later.

Rafel Jeanne was killed in the tragedy (
WALES NEWS SERVICE)

Police documents state DC Mahony took a signed statement from Lia in which he admitted driving without holding a full UK licence.

They read: “All other persons in the vehicle were intoxicated, by Joel’s admission, as they had been drinking alcohol and inhaling nitrous oxide throughout the course of the evening. The vehicle did not display L plates which can be seen on CCTV. The officer in the case has reviewed the CCTV as part of this unrelated case and can positively identify Joel Lia as the person entering the driver’s seat.”

A noise complaint was made to the park’s security lodge about the group and they left the site a short time later and were last seen at about 2am in the Pentwyn area of Cardiff, dropping off a sixth member of their group.

Shane Loughlin survived the ordeal (
WALES NEWS SERVICE)

“The vehicle did not display L plates which can be seen on CCTV. The officer in the case has reviewed the CCTV as part of this unrelated case and can positively identify Joel Lia as the person entering the driver’s seat.”

The group had been on a night out at The Muffler social club in Maesglas, Newport, on March 3 and then travelled in the Volkswagen Tiguan just under 40 miles to the Trecco Bay Caravan Park in Porthcawl, where they are said to have spent some time in one of the caravans on site.

Lia pleaded guilty to both charges and the case was adjourned until August 24. An initial inquest was told the three who died were declared dead at the scene of the crash.

The hearing was adjourned to await the findings of further histology and toxicology tests.