Driver has no explanation for crash which left man with horrific injuries

A driver cannot explain why he veered across the road into an oncoming vehicle causing catastrophic injuries, a court has heard. Ian Edwards has no memory of the crash which left his victim in hospital for weeks.

The crash happened on the A484 near Loughor Bridge on the morning of January 10, 2022. Edwards was at the wheel of his Ford Fiesta when he crossed onto the wrong side of the road and into a van. Both drivers were subsequently taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff with serious injuries. A crash investigator who examined the Ford could find no obvious defects that would have contributed to the incident.

Swansea Crown Court heard the driver of the van suffered a catalogue of injuries including an open fracture to the leg, fractured ribs, a punctured lung, a ruptured diaphragm, and a tear on the liver. In a statement from the victim which was read to the court he said he spent nine weeks in hospital after the crash and was unable to work for 18 months. He said the collision had changed his life and the life of his partner

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Ian Edwards, 39, of Neath Road, Plasmarl, Swansea, had previously pleaded guilty to causing serious injury on the second day of his trial when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. David Singh, for Edwards, said the few seconds of driving which caused the crash "remain inexplicable". He said the defendant cannot recall the incident and said "it remains a mystery" as to why Edwards veered across the road in the way he did.

The barrister said his client was a family man whose wife was pregnant, and he said references before the court describe him as sensible, hard-working and industrious. He said the defendant was "devastated" at the impact his actions have had on the other driver, and he said Edwards himself suffered long-term injuries and "will never be able to walk without an aid". Mr Singh said it was accepted the offending crossed the custody threshold but he said the court may find the sentence was one that was capable of being suspended, and he invited the court to follow that course of action. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here

Judge Catherine Richards said it remains unknown what caused Edwards to lose concentration and veer across the carriageway. She said she accepted the defendant's loss of memory in regard to the incident was genuine, as was his remorse. She said she was satisfied there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation for Edwards, and said a sentence of immediate custody would mean the loss of the defendant's job and would have a significant impact on his family.

With a 10 per cent discount for his late guilty plea Edwards was sentenced to 22 months in prison suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and undergo a rehabilitation course. The defendant was banned from driving for three years and must pass an extended test before he can get his licence back.

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