Hung jury in trial of A477 Pembrokeshire biker death crash

Jason Harvey, 43, from Pembroke Dock is accused of causing the death of motorcyclist Ashley Rogers by careless driving on the A477 Nash Fingerpost Junction. The defendant was towing a trailer with his Ford Transit van from the A4075 at around 8am on Saturday, May 13, 2023, when the incident happened. Jurors were unable to reach a verdict after deliberating for four hours and 46 minutes at Swansea Crown Court

Judge Catherine Richards discharged them and thanked them for their public service. The prosecution has a fortnight to decide if they are to seek a retrial. Mr Harvey, of Law Street is due back at Swansea Crown Court on Tuesday, June 17 to find out if he faces a second trial.

He was granted bail. Dyfed Thomas KC prosecuting claimed during the trial that Mr Harvey did not take sufficient time to look before pulling out of the junction. "There simply wasn't enough time to do what he's telling you, to do what he said - to look right, left and right again," he told the jury.

"He didn't look sufficiently. The duty is on the person to make sure the road is clear." Mr Thomas added that the fact that Harvey was towing a trailer was also important.

"If you are driving a lengthy vehicle you have to be more careful," he put forward. "He didn't slow down sufficiently and take enough time to look in the directions that he needed to look. "It is very regrettable that he did not look sufficiently before he entered the junction."

Charles Langley KC, representing Mr Harvey, told the jury that his client maintained that Mr Rogers' Ducati bike had "come out of nowhere". He told the trial his client was of clean character and added that he had a trailer licence and was known for being careful. The defendant was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, was not distracted, was well-rested and knew the junction well, he submitted.

Following the death of the 29-year-old from Kilgetty, his family paid the following tribute: "He was loved and will be dearly missed by his fiance, son, family and friends."