Harrowing footage reveals the moment a driver swigged beer behind the wheel before a horror 100mph crash that resulted in the death of his colleague.
Meirion Roberts, 26, was drinking at a work party in December 2020 before he drunkenly took the wheel with Lewis Morgan, 20.
The pair can be seen in the video drinking bottles of beer and showing off the speedometer of the white Vauxhall Corsa they were travelling in which recorded over 100mph.
The video was filmed minutes before Roberts drove his car into a telegraph pole, resulting in the Lewis Morgan’s death from severe head trauma.
At a trial held at Swansea Crown Court, Roberts denied a charge of death by dangerous driving, but he was convicted following a unanimous guilty verdict this week.
The Snapchat video shows Lewis Morgan and Meirion Roberts drinking bottles of beer as the sped down the road
Meirion Roberts (right), who caused the death of his friend in a car crash said he ‘didn’t feel drunk’ before he got behind the wheel
Lewis Morgan, 20, suffered severe head trauma in the smash and died at the scene in the village of Blaenau, South Wales.
Roberts’ white Vauxhall Corsa veered off the road and flipped on its roof.
Mr Morgan suffered severe head trauma in the smash and died at the scene in the village of Blaenau, South Wales.
The jury heard that on the afternoon in question, more than five hours before the fatal collision, Roberts had drank a number of pints of cider at The Cottage Inn near the town of Llandeilo with a number of his colleagues – including Mr Morgan – who were out on a pre-Christmas work gathering.
Despite admitting that he had drank ‘five to six’ pints of cider at the pub and then around half a can of Stella Artois at Mr Lloyd’s home before going back out in the car, where he was filmed drinking further, and admitting that he had been driving at speeds of up to 48mph in the moments before the collision, the defendant had pleaded not guilty to a charge of death by dangerous driving.
The jury retired to consider its verdict on Thursday afternoon and returned to court just over an hour later, where it delivered a unanimous guilty verdict.
Judge Christopher Vosper QC adjourned the case for a pre-sentence report and confirmed that Roberts would be sentenced at a later date.
The video also showed the speedometer of the Vauxhall Corsa as the pair travelled at over 100mh before the crash
The court heard the pair worked together at Fine-Edge Construction Ltd before the crash in December 2020.
Company director Philip Jones said the firm had booked two tables at The Cottage Inn for a three hour stay.
He said he and his employees drank ‘five or six pints with our food’ – and added that Roberts drank cider.
Mr Jones said: ‘Roberts and I were the last to leave. Roberts said his girlfriend was picking him up but she went to the wrong pub.
‘When I left he was on his phone and appeared to be sorting out his lift. I found out the next morning that Mr Morgan had died and that Roberts was driving.
‘I have no idea how they came to be in that car – there was no reason for Roberts to be driving.
‘If I had known he was even considering driving I would have taken the keys off him. It’s really tragic news and it’s had a massive effect on us all.’
Swansea Crown Court heard Mr Morgan had been captured on Snapchat videos after leaving the pub while he drank from a bottle of alcohol while driving.
The fatal crash on Penygroes Road in Blaenau, Carmarthenshire took place in December 2020
The footage also included the car’s speedometer which showed it was being driven at up to 100mph.
Colleague Llyr Williams said he received a Snapchat video from victim Mr Morgan after the work gathering.
He said it showed Mr Morgan as a front-seat passenger in a car which he believed was being driven by Roberts.
Mr Williams said: ‘I had concerns that Roberts could have been drink-driving. However I didn’t contact anyone to raise the alarm.
‘Lewis looked like he was enjoying himself and he was good friends with Roberts.’
The court heard Roberts was spotted on CCTV after 8pm when he went into to a Bargain Booze store to buy alcohol.
The car was later seen ‘speeding and swerving’ in a 30mph zone through village streets before it flipped on its roof.
The court heard speed investigators estimated the car was travelling up to 48mph when it crashed.
Roberts gave an alcohol reading of 54mg per 100ml of blood – the legal limit being 80 – more than five hours after the smash.
Dr Paul Williams, an expert in breath alcohol analysis, said that he calculated that Roberts’ alcohol level would have been over the limit when the collision occurred.
Prosecutor Carina Hughes said: ‘Roberts not only drove while under the influence of alcohol but drove while consuming alcohol. He drove at speed and at one point in excess of the speed limit for over a mile. At one point he drove at 100mph.
‘He could not control his vehicle and that is why he was seen swerving on more than one occasion. The defendant fell far below what would be expected of a careful and competent driver.’
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