Snapchat: Ricky Davies filmed driving while smoking drugs

An unlicensed driver killed a close friend in a crash after a weekend of drink and drugs, a court heard.

Snapchat footage showed Ricky Davies, 30, from Rhymney, Caerphilly, smoking cannabis as he drove and a passenger shouting "we ain't coming home".

Dafydd Hughes, 18, from Abertysswg, died after they crashed in May 2022.

At Cardiff Crown Court, Davies, whose car was not roadworthy, was sentenced to eight years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving.

Snapchat footage was used to illustrate how the group started drinking at a Merthyr Tydfil nightclub on Saturday 7 May, before moving on to a house party in Pontlottyn, Caerphilly, where Davies took cocaine.

They then bought cider in Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, the court heard.

The defendant was seen smoking cannabis at the wheel, and described as "cruising around", with drink and drug-taking carrying on into Sunday morning, the court heard.

They smoked cannabis on Abertysswg Mountain, Caerphilly county, and went to a dog show.

The group of friends were then caught on CCTV buying more alcohol.

Davies was told by one passenger to slow down because his driving was "all over the road swaying from side to side", the court heard, before the Snapchat footage showed someone say: "We ain't coming home."

No driving licence

The defendant admitted to his passengers he was taking back roads because he did not have a driving licence.

The fatal crash then happened in Shirenewton, near Chepstow, Monmouthshire, at about 13:30 on Sunday.

Mr Hughes was a back seat passenger in Davies' Ford Focus that collided with a Peugeot 5008 SUV on the B4235 Usk Road - with the other driver admitting he had "nowhere to go and had to brace for the collision".

The victim suffered catastrophic head injuries and died at the scene.

Davies had 152 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood - the legal limit is 80 micrograms.

When the car Davies had been driving was forensically examined, it was found the front offside tyre had no tread depth and it would have failed an MOT.

He had bought it 10 days before the crash.

'Reckless and selfish'

In a statement read out in court, Mr Hughes' mother Emma said news of his death left her feeling "numb".

"No parents should ever have to formally identify their baby to the police," she said.

In total, Davies admitted six charges - causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, driving without insurance, or a licence.

Recorder of Cardiff Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, sentenced him to a total of eight years and banned him from driving for 12 years.

"You had been drinking and you didn't stop all weekend," she said.

"You had a problem with drink and drugs. You knew that, but it didn't stop you.

"Your actions have caused immeasurable pain."

Following the sentencing, PC Spencer Clease condemned the "reckless and selfish actions" that led to the death of Davies' friend.

He added: "There are no excuses for deciding to drive after consuming alcohol or drugs nor driving dangerously.

"It can have a devastating impact on others as shown in this case."