GARAGE OWNER ADMITS FALSIFYING MOT FOR CAR THAT KILLED THREE

Neil John Lewis, 47, pleaded guilty to fraud by false representation at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Tuesday after admitting he knew a car was "dangerous" when he issued it a false MOT certificate. The white Volkswagen Tiguan crashed into woodland in Cardiff in March 2023, killing Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24. Two other occupants survived. The three dead lay undiscovered for two days following the collision.

The vehicle had failed an MOT test on 9 February 2023 with a warning system light illuminated, indicating a fault with the seatbelt, air bag or both, with mileage recorded at approximately 98,000. Lewis retested the car on 23 February 2023 and told police he found the seatbelt and warning light were then off and the rear seatbelt was working, so he passed it with advisories. The car had previously been involved in an accident in Scotland in 2021, salvaged and sold at auction to Joel Lia, a friend of Jeanne, who was driving the vehicle at the time of the fatal crash. Lewis, based in Llewellyn Avenue, Cardiff, sent Lia a text message stating the car required further work on the seatbelt and airbag light.

As Lewis left court, members of Ross's family confronted him outside, brandishing a framed photograph of the dead woman and calling out her name. No sentencing date has been confirmed.