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| Death crash teenager not guilty | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| An 18-year-old has been cleared of dangerous driving after he crashed his car three days after passing his test - killing four teenage friends. | An 18-year-old has been cleared of dangerous driving after he crashed his car three days after passing his test - killing four teenage friends. |
| The jury at Cardiff Crown Court did find Craig Ramshaw, of Ebbw Vale, guilty of careless driving. | The jury at Cardiff Crown Court did find Craig Ramshaw, of Ebbw Vale, guilty of careless driving. |
| Mr Ramshaw was driving along a mountain road in Powys, at around 2100 GMT on 2 November 2006, when he lost control. | |
| Back seat passengers Danielle Caswell and Katie Roberts, both 15, and Louise Jones and Kayleigh Parry, 16, all died. | Back seat passengers Danielle Caswell and Katie Roberts, both 15, and Louise Jones and Kayleigh Parry, 16, all died. |
| Mr Ramshaw, an apprentice plumber, had always denied causing the girls' deaths by dangerous driving. | Mr Ramshaw, an apprentice plumber, had always denied causing the girls' deaths by dangerous driving. |
| The four girls were close friends and pupils at Glyncoed Comprehensive | The four girls were close friends and pupils at Glyncoed Comprehensive |
| The six-day trial heard how three days after passing his driving test, the teenager was driving along a mountain road - B4560 between Garnlydan and Llangynidr - when he lost control and the car flipped over. | The six-day trial heard how three days after passing his driving test, the teenager was driving along a mountain road - B4560 between Garnlydan and Llangynidr - when he lost control and the car flipped over. |
| He told the court he was not driving at more than 40mph when he felt his back wheel skid. | He told the court he was not driving at more than 40mph when he felt his back wheel skid. |
| The girls - all close friends at Glyncoed Comprehensive in Ebbw Vale - were thrown from the vehicle. | The girls - all close friends at Glyncoed Comprehensive in Ebbw Vale - were thrown from the vehicle. |
| They were not wearing seatbelts, unlike Mr Ramshaw and a front seat passenger, who survived with minor injuries. | They were not wearing seatbelts, unlike Mr Ramshaw and a front seat passenger, who survived with minor injuries. |
| The prosecution claimed that Mr Ramshaw was "showing off" as he drove his mother's car at "considerable speed". | The prosecution claimed that Mr Ramshaw was "showing off" as he drove his mother's car at "considerable speed". |
| 'Quite persistent' | 'Quite persistent' |
| The jury has also heard evidence from Mr Ramshaw, who said he felt "pressurised" to take the girls for a ride in the Vauxhall Corsa. | The jury has also heard evidence from Mr Ramshaw, who said he felt "pressurised" to take the girls for a ride in the Vauxhall Corsa. |
| Mr Ramshaw said he had offered to take the girls out before his friend asked him to pick him up, and that he did not want to drive with all of them in the car. | Mr Ramshaw said he had offered to take the girls out before his friend asked him to pick him up, and that he did not want to drive with all of them in the car. |
| "They asked me if I could go for a drive," he said in police interviews. | "They asked me if I could go for a drive," he said in police interviews. |
| "They were quite persistent. They wanted to go out. I was thinking about it and I didn't really want to take them. | "They were quite persistent. They wanted to go out. I was thinking about it and I didn't really want to take them. |
| Police investigating near the scene of the crash | Police investigating near the scene of the crash |
| "I felt quite pressurised really and I did." | "I felt quite pressurised really and I did." |
| He said he had been friends with Kayleigh for between six and seven months and often spoke to her over the internet, but did not know the other three girls as well. | He said he had been friends with Kayleigh for between six and seven months and often spoke to her over the internet, but did not know the other three girls as well. |
| On Monday, jurors were asked by the defence to find Mr Ramshaw guilty on a lesser charge of careless driving. | On Monday, jurors were asked by the defence to find Mr Ramshaw guilty on a lesser charge of careless driving. |
| In his summing up on Tuesday, Judge Nicholas Cooke QC told the jury of eight women and four men: "No case can have a sadder context than this one. | In his summing up on Tuesday, Judge Nicholas Cooke QC told the jury of eight women and four men: "No case can have a sadder context than this one. |
| "You must completely put aside sympathy on the one hand for the terrible loss four families have suffered, and the nightmare this trial must be for the defendant and his family." | "You must completely put aside sympathy on the one hand for the terrible loss four families have suffered, and the nightmare this trial must be for the defendant and his family." |
| 'Hell and back' | 'Hell and back' |
| But he said the decision was whether Mr Ramshaw's driving had been careless or dangerous and they must judge it entirely on the facts. | |
| Patrick Harrington QC, defending, had asked the jury whether Mr Ramshaw's driving fell below the standard expected of an ordinary competent driver, in which case he said it was careless. | Patrick Harrington QC, defending, had asked the jury whether Mr Ramshaw's driving fell below the standard expected of an ordinary competent driver, in which case he said it was careless. |
| Or was it, he asked, "far" below that standard - in which case, it was dangerous. | Or was it, he asked, "far" below that standard - in which case, it was dangerous. |
| He invited the jury to conclude that days after passing his driving test, Mr Ramshaw had made a minor error - turning the wheel slightly too far on a bend - which had resulted in the deaths and had wrecked the lives of many families. | He invited the jury to conclude that days after passing his driving test, Mr Ramshaw had made a minor error - turning the wheel slightly too far on a bend - which had resulted in the deaths and had wrecked the lives of many families. |
| As parents we were unable to control the situation and take care of our prvious girls. Never again will their lives be the same Statement on behalf of the girls' families | |
| He stressed to the jury that the police driver who had given evidence for the prosecution, had himself conceded that a minor error could have caused the crash. | He stressed to the jury that the police driver who had given evidence for the prosecution, had himself conceded that a minor error could have caused the crash. |
| Mr Ramshaw's own family, he said, had "been to hell and back". | Mr Ramshaw's own family, he said, had "been to hell and back". |
| As the jury returned their verdict, Mr Ramshaw sat in the dock with his head bowed and broke down. | As the jury returned their verdict, Mr Ramshaw sat in the dock with his head bowed and broke down. |
| The teenager is due to be sentenced later on Wednesday. Judge Nicholas Cooke QC said he will not be given a custodial sentence. | |
| Reacting to the verdicts, a statement on behalf of the girls' families thanked "all those involved for their tremendous help and support during this difficult time." | |
| It continued: "Unfortunately, this outcome will not bring the girls back. The families' lives also ended on the 2nd November 2006. | |
| "As parents we were unable to control the situation and take care of our prvious girls. Never again will their lives be the same." |