Demi Mabbitt: Cameron Jones sentenced to 10 years for killing girlfriend in crash

Summary

Cameron Jones sentenced to 10 years for killing his girlfriend Demi Mabbitt in a crash in Merthyr Tydfil
Ms Mabbitt, 25, died a week after the crash on 5 April
Jones, 30, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured, as well as three other charges
Sentencing takes place at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
Demi Mabbitt's father says his family have been "torn apart" by her death
Judge Jeremy Jenkins calls Jones "disingenuous", "inhuman" and "self-centred"

Live Reporting

Edited by John Arkless

Tyres had exceptionally low grip, court hearspublished at 14:49 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
The court hears of the significant damage to the car when it was examined after the crash.
Abigail Jackson says an examination of the tyres showed they all had "exceptionally low grip" and were well below the legal limit and "would have virtually no grip in wet conditions".
She says the front-side windows were heavily tinted and "well below the legal limit".
She says this means visibility at night was "severely reduced".
Demi Mabbitt's body found 27m from carpublished at 14:44 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
Abigail Jackson tells the court there was damage to nearby properties, and says pieces of the Audi were found strewn over the road, some distance from the crash site.
She says Demi Mabbitt’s body was found 27m (89ft) away from the vehicle.
While is not possible to calculate the precise speed of the Audi, it is thought to be "significantly faster than the speed limit” and "more consistent with motorway speeds", the court is told.
CCTV clips show speeding Audipublished at 14:38 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
The court is being played a number of pieces of CCTV.
The Audi is seen travelling at speed on a number of occasions.
Prosecutor Abigail Jackson describes how, in one clip, Jones "walks over to where Ms Mabbitt is, appears to lean over and check her, before walking away".
Witness performed CPR on Demi Mabbittpublished at 14:37 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
The court hears a member of the public saw Demi Mabbitt lying on the side of the road and realised her injuries were “serious”.
The woman performed CPR and Ms Mabbitt was eventually taken to hospital.
Crash scene was 'like a bomb had gone off'published at 14:33 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
The court is told Cameron Jones approached Chad Pop and asked for a lift, which he refused.
Mr Pop described the scene as “like a bomb had gone off" and "there were car parts everywhere".
Another eyewitness, who saw the aftermath of the crash, recalled Jones saying: "I need to get the guy who was driving the car.”
He told another eyewitnesses: "My missus has just crashed her car."
Jones accelerated dramatically, says witnesspublished at 14:30 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
The court hears the defendant was traveling in an Audi S3 on Swansea Road in Merthyr Tydfil, a road with a speed limit of 20 mph.
A member of the public, Chad Pop, who was driving behind Cameron Jones, says the road was "soaking wet" at the time.
He says the Audi was "initially driven normally" but as it left the roundabout it accelerated "dramatically".
That was initially estimated by Mr Pop as 70mph.
He says the car sped off and accelerated further, estimating the car reached between 110 and 120mph.
Hearing beginspublished at 14:21 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
The hearing is now under way.
Abigail Jackson, the prosecuting barrister, starts outlining the details of the case.
The court hears the defendant has pleaded guilty to three other charges - causing death by driving whilst disqualified, failing to stop after a road accident and failing to report an accident.
In May he pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, as well as causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured.
Delay to start of sentencing hearingpublished at 14:16 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
There is a delay while the court deals with administrative matters.
Cameron Jones sits impassively in the dock.
Jones brought into the dock ahead of sentencingpublished at 14:06 British Summer Time 17 July
Nelli Bird
BBC News at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court
The hearing will soon get under way.
About a dozen members of Demi Mabbitt’s family are in court, with some wearing badges with her photo on.
Cameron Jones has been brought into the dock.
What we know so farpublished at 14:04 British Summer Time 17 July
- Demi Mabbitt, from Aberfan, was in a single-car crash on Swansea Road, Merthyr Tydfil, on 5 April
- She was in a white Audi S3 which was travelling along Swansea Road from the Trago Mills complex and in the direction of the A465
- She died from her injuries in hospital later that month
- Police launched a manhunt, searching for Cameron Jones, 30, from Merthyr Tydfil
- They said he was "a dangerous individual" and advised the public to avoid him and contact the police
- He later appeared in court charged with causing death by dangerous driving, as well as causing death by driving a vehicle whilst uninsured
- He pleaded guilty to these charges on 31 May
- Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke warned him that "an immediate custodial sentence" would follow given the “serious offences”
Jones arrives in courtpublished at 13:57 British Summer Time 17 July
Cameron Jones was led into court this morning ahead of the sentencing hearing.
The courtroom has now opened, ready for proceedings to begin in a few minutes' time.
Good afternoonpublished at 13:49 British Summer Time 17 July
Good afternoon and welcome to our live coverage of the sentencing of Cameron Jones.
Jones pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by driving a vehicle while uninsured followed a single-vehicle crash in Merthyr Tydfil in April in which 25-year-old Demi Mabbitt was killed.
He'll be sentenced today at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.