TWO Bangor University students who used a Gwynedd road as a race track causing a collision have been sentenced.
Owain Hunt, 20, from Rhostryfan and Ryan Dilworth, 21, of Kinmel Bay pleaded guilty to dangerous driving at Mold Crown Court on Wednesday.
Both were disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to take extended re-tests and received 18-month community orders.
Ryan Dilworth was placed on a tagged curfew for three months and Owain Hunt was ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.
Crash on unclassified road between Rhostryfan and Bontnewydd. Image provided by North Wales Police
The court heard that on Friday, April 6, North Wales Police had attended a two-vehicle collision on an unclassified road between Rhostryfan and Bontnewydd involving a Vauxhall Corsa and an Audi A4 estate.
Prosecuting barrister Matthew Curtis said that both had driven at excessive speeds racing each other.
At about 5pm, Donna Taylor was driving a Peugeot 308 through Rhostryfan and noticed a burgundy Ford Fiesta driven by Dilworth, and a black Vauxhall Corsa driven by Hunt.
She saw them negotiate the bends at an estimated 70 mph. A mile out of Rhostryfan, Gethin Owen saw them pass at similar speeds. Driving in the opposite direction Dylan Humphreys had to drive onto a grass verge to avoid a collision. Caroline Williams described the Corsa drifting towards her.
She managed to avoid a collision but saw what happened next in her rear-view mirror. Dashcam footage from her vehicle recorded some of the driving immediately before the collision, Mr Curtis explained.
The road traffic collision on unclassified road between Rhostryfan and Bontnewydd
Paul Thomas was driving an Audi A4 estate. He saw the Ford Fiesta approach at excessive speed appearing out of control. The back end of the Fiesta narrowly missed his vehicle, he then saw the Corsa similarly out of control.
"As it came around a bend the back end of the Corsa crossed the carriageway. The driver appeared to over correct this and ended up colliding with the verge and back on to the road driving into collision with Mr Thomas’ car. His car was written off and Mr Thomas went to Ysbyty Gwynedd and suffered neck back and ankle pain," said Mr Curtis.
Investigating Officer PC Matthew Halstead said: “Both men were charged with dangerous driving. Witnesses stated that both were driving at excessive speed, 70-80mph, and the collision was as a result of dangerous driving by two inexperienced drivers racing on a country road.
“Their actions were dangerous and selfish, and could have had fatal consequences. Thankfully nobody was seriously injured but the driver of the Audi was taken to hospital. "Dangerous and reckless driving puts people’s lives at risk and North Wales Police will crack down on it."
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