An ‘immature’ driver has been found guilty of causing serious injuries to two women after crashing a BMW near the Bevan’s Lane roundabout in Cwmbran. Harrison Morris, 22, was showing off and driving recklessly, resulting in catastrophic injuries to the victims. Morris was driving a BMW One series car that did not belong to him when he approached Josie Pattimore and Kayleigh Dowding outside a pub. The women, who knew Morris, accepted his offer to sit in the car while waiting for a friend.
During the drive, one of the women requested a phone charger, leading Morris to drive to his house with them in the car to fetch one, despite being uninsured and unlicensed. On the way back, Morris attempted to overtake another vehicle near the roundabout, driving at high speed and losing control, which caused the car to roll after clipping the curb. The impact threw the women around in the vehicle, with one unconscious and the other fearing for her friend’s life.
After the crash, Morris fled the scene, leaving emergency services to rescue one of the women from the wreckage. The injuries sustained were severe, with Ms. Pattimore suffering multiple fractures and nerve damage, impacting her martial arts career. Ms. Dowding suffered fractures, internal injuries, and a collapsed lung, among other injuries, both women still struggling with the long-term effects.
In court, Judge Lucy Crowther criticised Morris for his immature behaviour, driving recklessly to impress the women in the car. Despite Morris helping care for his sick mother and expecting a child, Judge Crowther highlighted his lack of maturity in the incident. Morris pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by careless driving and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and disqualified from driving for 13 months.