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My two children died in an M4 crash caused by a drink driver who could soon be walking the streets

Rhiannon Lucas has gone through the unthinkable. The grief of losing one child to a drunk driver is horrific, but to lose two and end up with serious injuries yourself is incomprehensible. On February 5, 2022, the lives of Rhiannon and her family were changed forever when Martin Newman, 41, who was high on drink and drugs smashed into their stationary vehicle on the M4[1].

Four-year-old Gracie-Ann Lucas and her three-year-old brother Jayden-Lee Lucas, were travelling home from a birthday party with their mother Rhiannon Lucas and a friend when their car was hit by a van on the M4[2]. Tragically both siblings died within days of each other at the University Hospital of Wales[3] in Cardiff[4]. Gracie-Ann died the day after the crash and Jayden the next week.

It was later heard in court how Newman was found by police to be more than twice the drink-driving limit after going out with colleagues the night before the crash, and had drunk 10 cans of Strongbow and taken cocaine once he returned to his hotel room. In the defendant's police interview, Newman said he was shattered during his drive back to Wales the next day, and had "nodded off" a few times.

At a sentencing hearing Newman – who admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, and one of causing serious injury to the children's mother Rhiannon Lucas by dangerous driving, and charges of drink-driving and drug-driving – was jailed for nine years and four months. He will serve just over four years in custody.

Two and a half years after the horrific crash, Rhiannon from Tredegar[7] has detailed the lasting impact it has had on her life. She suffers with her memory and mental health and had been told by doctors that should liver problems caused by the crash return she would need to be medicated for life.

f Gracie-Ann, four, and brother Jayden-Lee, three, were killed by a drugged and drunk driver.

She says she can't remember much of the crash itself or the immediate aftermath in the hospital. Her father Jason had to deliver the devastating news to her that Gracie Ann had died, and while in a precarious position herself was then told that Jayden would unlikely survive his injuries.

"I can't remember much about what happened because I was on pain meds. I know I kicked off in the hospital, they wanted to put me under a scanner and it took 6 doctors to pin me down. I did take to one doctor, George, and he came in and basically cwtched me like a little baby.

It’s hard because since the accident I can’t remember much, I can hardly remember what I did yesterday or what my brain is doing today. I can remember bits of what happened after the crash but not the details."

While she was seriously injured herself, hospital staff placed Gracie-Ann near Rhiannon in hospital so they could be together. I couldn’t move my legs, sit up, but I was happy they put the side of the bed down.

Martin Newman admitted two counts of causing death by dangerous driving, and one of causing serious injury to the children's mother Rhiannon Lucas by dangerous driving, and charges of drink-driving and drug-driving – was jailed for nine years and four months.

"Jayden was fighting and the doctors called us in and he was looking at me funny, and I just said 'I know what you are going to say, he isn’t going to make it'. When Gracie Ann passed I told them to leave her by Jayden, because there wasn't a day where they were ever apart."

Rhiannon said that the children were "so close" and that she believes they wanted to be together. "I gave birth to them, I know the instinct they’re going to be. They aren’t going to be apart, they’re always going to be together. It’s not something people should go through, the heartbreak of the two of them."

The family then faced the funeral, and the court case, with Rhiannon describing it as a "build up". She said after the accident she struggled seriously with her mental health and at one point wanted to take an overdose. She said that she has now sought professional help but that this was still difficult.

"Then you've got to explain the situation again and again. But I’ve gone on the medication and I know the kids would want me to go up, not down."

Rhiannon Lucas, 26, cuddling her new baby Summer-Gracie

Rhiannon, who has since had another daughter named Summer, says that they continue to celebrate Gracie-Ann and Jayden and that Summer saved her after the trauma. Gracie-Ann and Jayden also had a half brother Noah.

"On their birthdays we go up to the cemetery and put balloons up, play songs. They’re always there with us. When I had Summer I had a tough time of it because of my injuries, I could have died then, but when they put Summer towards me I knew I had to stay for her.

"You’re never going to forget the other two, she is a spit of them both and they are always there." Rhiannon and her family have long spoken publicly about their disgrace at Newman's sentence length, including earlier this year when it was revealed he would be moved to an open prison.

"I think he should have had more, a life for a life, those kids didn’t do anything. He’ll be out now in two years, he’s pleaded twice to come out early.

"He’s got a life out here but he’s got to think now what he’s done. When he comes out he will probably have hell but not from myself. He’s had a slap on the wrist basically and it’s not the police’s fault it’s the government and the sentencing guidelines.

"To have four years for two kids is wrong. He should have had a bigger sentence for a start. They said he’s had long enough, but for us he’ll never have long enough. He’s ruined our lives for the rest of our lives."

Rhiannon's father Jason Lucas said that he felt drunk and drug drivers were "getting away with murder" and deserved tougher sentences.

At the time of the sentence, Judge Daniel Williams said Newman's actions were the "most serious level of dangerous driving" but he couldn't give a bigger sentence than the law allows. Newman only has to spend half the time in jail and Newman's sentence was also cut by a third because he pleaded guilty at the first chance.

"You can’t blame the police, they’ve done what they can, it’s the judge. It’s not fair on what we have had to go through. To take that into your own hands. He’s got two children himself, I wouldn’t want that to happen to anyone," said Jason.

We miss them every day, we’ve got photos of them everywhere. We just want people to stop drinking and driving because what we have had to go through, nobody should have to go through. People have got to take note just not to do it because too many people, kids, are dying."

Gwent Police[8] said that as of Monday 12 August, 15 people have died on the roads of Gwent due to drink and / or drug driving since January 2023.

Inspector Leighton Healan of Roads Policing and Specialist Operations at Gwent Police said: "There’s not a year that passes that we don’t run campaigns specifically targeted, drink and drug driving.

"This is a particularly tragic case because two young children have lost their lives and it just brings it home doesn’t it. One person's actions on that particular day has caused all of this.

"We work proactively. We intentionally take unmarked cars out looking for people drink or drug driving and we will do it overtly in marked cars and I make no apology for that because Gwent Police’s stance on these offences is zero tolerance. We will always be out there and we will continue to target these people who flout these laws in this way."

References

  1. ^ the M4 (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  2. ^ the M4 (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  3. ^ University Hospital of Wales (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  4. ^ Cardiff (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  5. ^ She was injected and restrained, left broken and terrified. At the funeral her mum made a vow (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  6. ^ The sadness, anger and flickering light of hope in a Welsh town that faces life or death (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  7. ^ Tredegar (www.walesonline.co.uk)
  8. ^ Gwent Police (www.walesonline.co.uk)

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