A speeding driver who killed the "love of his life" in a BMW crash has been sentenced to 14 months in prison. David Owen, 35, from Caersws, was driving the car when it crashed on the A470 near Rhayader in Powys, mid Wales, in December 2024, killing his partner Charlotte Beynon.
Crash details
Owen's sentencing hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Wednesday heard how on December 3, the pair had been travelling towards Builth Wells and had just left a 20mph zone and were in a 40mph zone on the A470 in Rhayader when Owen decided to accelerate. The vehicle then crashed into a kerb and a wall before landing on its side. Police investigating the incident determined the car had been travelling at 57mph at the time of the crash.
Staff at Simon Price Cars, opposite the collision, reported hearing a loud bang and rushed to help. A passing nurse also helped at the roadside with Charlotte trapped in the car and asking for help. The court heard Owen had got out of the vehicle and was on his phone and lighting a cigarette, saying he was unsure what had happened.
Victim impact
Project manager Charlotte, from Burry Port, was airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales but died from her injuries six days later on December 9. Owen, who the court was told had a previous conviction for dangerous driving aged 17, suffered a fractured nose and spine. He was discharged from hospital in Hereford a few days after the crash without requiring surgery.
Charlotte's mother Maxine Beynon fought back tears as she read out a victim impact statement with Owen in the dock. "We always knew how blessed we were having Charlotte in our lives," she said. "It is so difficult to compute that my beautiful daughter, a young woman so full of life and potential, is no longer here. I can't find words to describe how hard it was organising Charlotte's funeral."
Maxine said no words could capture the beautiful person her daughter was or the joy she had brought to the family. As well as a treasured daughter Charlotte was close to her brother Edward and enjoyed being an aunt, Maxine said, adding that her daughter loved her chocolate labrador Phoebe as well as cycling, swimming and dancing.
After the death of Maxine's husband, Charlotte and Edward's father Paul, the siblings had become even closer. Now her brother had been denied growing through life with his sister, their mother said. "Charlotte deserved to live a long and happy life. I loved being around her. Charlotte really did light up the room. Things now seem less bright."
Just before her death Charlotte had put up her Christmas tree and was enjoying doing up her house. Maxine said she could not bear to take down the tree for many months after the Christmas her daughter never saw. "I miss Charlotte every single day. I worry that one day, with age, my memories will fade. I grieve future memories and I feel I will never truly feel joy again."
Drug driving and sentence
Owen was under investigation for causing the death of Charlotte when he went on to be convicted for a separate case of drug driving. The self-employed builder had his sentences reduced for pleading guilty to both charges at earlier hearings.
He was stopped by police in Llandrindod Wells on January 11 this year after being spotted in a white Skoda and was later found to have quantities of cocaine and cannabis in his system. He admitted having "taken a line" of cocaine, the court was told.
A blood test showed Owen had 39 micrograms per litre of blood of cocaine – the legal limit is 10mg/l. He also had 4.4mg/l of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main ingredient in cannabis, when the legal limit is 2mg/l.
Georgia Donohue, defending, said her client had shown "genuine remorse" and would live with the guilt of causing the death of his partner for the rest of his life. Although he had only been with Charlotte for 10 months he considered her the love of his life, she said.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins sentenced Owen, of Maes Yr Eglwys, Llanwnog, Caersws, to 12 months in prison for causing death by careless driving and two months for drug driving. The sentences will run concurrently making a total of 14 months. Owen was told he would serve up to half his total 14-month sentence in custody before being released on licence. The judge also disqualified Owen from driving for three years and seven months after his release and said he would only be allowed back on the roads once he passes an extended driving test.
