Gwent Police investigated the circumstances leading to the crash and Dafydd Hughes’ death
By Jenny Casterton
Producer, The Crash Detectives
A mother whose son was killed by an unlicensed driver filmed drinking cider at the wheel has urged people to report illegal drivers.
Dafydd Hughes, 18, died after his drunk friend, who had also been taking drugs, crashed his Ford Focus head-on while speeding on the wrong side of the road.
Dafydd’s mum said she could not forgive Ricky Davies, who was jailed for eight years.
Davies, who admitted six charges including causing death by dangerous driving, had been on a weekend drug-taking and drinking session when he knocked on the door of Dafydd’s home in Caerphilly county.
“Dafydd, like most young boys, thought he was invincible, and made the wrong choice getting in the car that morning,” said mum-of-six Emma, 35.
“But it wasn’t Dafydd’s choice for Ricky to drink all day, to speed or be on the wrong side of the road. I’ll never forgive Ricky for driving that day and in the state he was in.”
Emma said Davies had been out with Dafydd’s father the previous day, and Davies had actually called for him. He, however, was asleep so Dafydd – who lived with his father and grandparents – went out instead.
Dafydd’s grandfather Dai “begged” his grandson not to go, but Emma said Dafydd “wouldn’t listen”.
Within hours, he was dead.
“He was his own person, he was going out with his friends,” said Emma.
Emma Hughes says son Dafydd was her “ray of sunshine”
“The fact we couldn’t stop him weighs on our hearts every day but there was no telling Dafydd. His bampy (grandad) couldn’t have done any more.”
Neither Dafydd, nor any of his friends, were wearing a seatbelt.
“Dafydd never ever wore a seatbelt,” admitted his mum. “If he was wearing his seatbelt, Dafydd might have still been here.”
‘I hope someone will learn from my son’
Emma said she hoped someone would learn from her son losing his life.
“If one person could listen and not do what they were doing then their families won’t feel what we feel every day,” she said.
“I want young people to realise the damage that can be done, even if they’re not driving and in the car with somebody who hasn’t got a licence and is not responsible enough to be driving. Please don’t go with them.
“Don’t put your families through what we are going through. You’ve got your whole life in front of you and you shouldn’t waste it because in the blink of an eye everything can change.”
Image source, Emma Hughes
Emma says she’s devastated her younger children will not grow up with their big brother Dafydd, who “adored them”
She added: “He didn’t experience having children, getting married, he lost out on so much.
“If you think someone is drink or drug-driving, call the police.”
Dafydd, who had turned 18 weeks earlier, was one of the 220 people killed on UK roads every year by drink-drivers.
Emma said Dafydd’s death had affected the local community in Abertysswg, where he was a popular young man.
“Life is so precious, he didn’t deserve it. There’s a hole in my heart where Dafydd should be. We’ll never be the same again.”
Crash investigators say wearing seatbelts help people to survive more severe crashes
How did the crash happen?
Dafydd was a rear seat passenger when the car he was in veered onto the wrong side of the road on a bend.
The vehicle crashed head-on into another car in Shirenewton, Monmouthshire, in May 2022.
Dafydd suffered fatal head injuries and died at the scene after being thrown forward in the crash.
Investigations found Snapchat footage of driver Davies, captured in the hours before the collision, drinking a can of cider at the wheel.
A court also heard Davies had been smoking cannabis.
Watch how Gwent Police’s dedicated forensic collision investigators discovered how Dafydd was killed in the latest episode of Crash Detectives.
The four-part series is on BBC One Wales or BBC Two everywhere else at 19:00 BST or catch on BBC iPlayer.
Davies, who had no driving licence or insurance, had spent the previous three days drinking heavily and taking drugs before driving Dafydd and three other friends to a dog show in Usk.
Police investigators showed BBC Crash Detectives how Davies had been driving at about 50mph (80km/h) – 10mph above the speed limit – when the crash happened.
He was jailed for eight years after admitting causing death by dangerous driving, causing serious injury by dangerous driving, dangerous driving, driving under the influence of alcohol, and driving without insurance or a licence.
“I’ve never seen footage of that kind, filming themselves in the vehicle like that,” said Sgt Bob Witherall of Gwent Police.
“It’s just a complete, utter disregard and level of criminality in a vehicle. The worst I’ve seen.
“He’ll serve his time in prison and come out. But ultimately his actions have caused the death of his friend.”
Image source, Emma Hughes
Dafydd with his brother, Jacob
Emma wishes Dafydd had stayed at her house in Phillipstown, just down the Rhymney Valley from Abertysswg.
She believes her eldest son could be still here with her now, if he had.
The keen fisherman will never get to meet his youngest sibling Jackson, who was born earlier this year.
Emma, who has three other young children, said “kind-hearted” Dafydd adored them all, and even spent his first pay packet as a building site labourer on gifts for them.
If you have been affected by any of the issues in this story, the BBC Action Line has links to organisations which can offer support and advice
