Cardiff car crash: Sister of victim ‘disappointed’ with police and says detectives ‘should have acted straight away’
The sister of one of the Cardiff car crash victims says she was “disappointed” with the police response to the incident, saying detectives “should have acted straight away”.
Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died in the crash, while Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, who were in the same vehicle, are in hospital with serious injuries.
All five were in a Volkswagen Tiguan that came off the A48(M) in the Welsh capital and crashed into trees.
Ffion Actie, the sister of Rafel, told Sky News she feels “disappointed that maybe things weren’t done sooner”.
She said: “I heard the girls’ mums had contacted [police] but it had taken several hours [to respond]
“I feel they should have acted straightaway.”
Read more:
How search for vehicle unfolded – as police face criticism over response
Darcy Ross, Rafel Jeanne and Eve Smith were killed
She added: “I like to think that if [police] got there sooner, it would have been a different outcome.”
Speaking at a vigil for the victims in Cardiff, Ms Actie added: “I felt proud to say [Rafel] was my brother, I’m lost for words. I’m blown away by how many people turned up [to the vigil] and how people have pulled together.
“Social media told me what happened, unfortunately. I feel heartbroken, I feel numb. It doesn’t feel real, I don’t feel like this has happened.”
She described her brother as a “big character, happy, loving, bubbly”.
“He was very popular, a nice man,” she added.
“The hardest thing is that this is such a busy area and the fact they were there so long. That is the worst part about it, thinking they were sat there injured. If it was sooner [they were found], who knows.”
Tuesday night’s vigil saw crowds of people congregate with balloons, flowers and messages, while fireworks were let off to pay tribute to the victims of the crash.
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Vigil held for Cardiff car crash victims
‘There are no words’
Shannon Ridler from Dyffryn, in the Vale of Glamorgan, knew Eve and Darcy’s family and said their loss has been “heartbreaking for everyone”.
She told Sky News: “My heart goes out to everyone – friends, family… also the friends and family of Rafel. I just can’t imagine what they’re all going through and I’m so sorry.”
She added there “are no words” for how difficult the loss has been for the wider community.
“They were well known and loved by everyone. There are no words.”
Ms Ridler said the community has pulled together “amazingly”.
“Everyone has helped everyone. There’s not one person who hasn’t gone out of their way to do something.”
The group had been to a social club in Maesglas in Newport on Friday night and were believed to have travelled 40 miles to the Trecco Bay area of Porthcawl.
Police have now confirmed they were last seen at around 2am on Saturday in Pentwyn, Cardiff.
Officers believe the car came off the A48(M) a while later, but further investigations using CCTV and automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) inquiries are needed to establish an exact time.
They do not believe any other vehicles were involved.
Flowers and balloons have been left at a vigil at the site of the crash
When they failed to return home, their families reported them missing, with the first call being received by police at 7.34pm on Saturday, while further reports were made up until 5.37pm on Sunday.
Hundreds of people took part in searches for the group despite Gwent Police not issuing a public appeal for help until 11pm on Sunday.
Gwent and South Wales Police said in a joint statement that a police helicopter was requested to search an area of Cardiff at 11.50pm on Sunday, which the forces said resulted in the vehicle being found at 12.15am on Monday.
However, members of the friends’ search party Matthew Pace, 45, and his son Lewis, 26, told Sky News they found the car in a wooded area along the A48 in the early hours of Monday morning.
Lewis said that he and Mr Jeanne were “best mates”.
“I’m devastated. I can’t cope, I can’t eat. It’s just devastating,” he said.
Matthew said that police arrived “about a minute” after he and Lewis had pulled up by the side of the road after noticing “tyre marks” near the wooded area.
A map showing the locations the group were know to have visited before the crash
‘Police could have done a lot more’
Meanwhile, Tamzin Samuels, 20, a friend of the young woman and who helped in the search effort, told the PA news agency: “I do think the police could have done a lot more in putting the helicopters out earlier.
“They only posted the appeal an hour before the girls were found. We found them before the police found them – we rang the police.
“The search party found the girls before the police found the girls.
“I think that speaks volumes really, they had all that equipment, and we had cars when we were looking.
“They were really popular girls, the life of the party, and it was really out of character for them to do what they did, which is why we knew something was wrong.”
Flowers were laid near the scene
‘Our thoughts continue to be with the families’
Assistant Chief Constable Jason Davies, of South Wales Police, said: “Our thoughts continue to be with the families and all those affected by this tragic incident.
“Specialist officers are carrying out a detailed investigation to piece together what has happened.
“Family liaison officers are supporting the families involved at what must be a hugely difficult time for them.”
Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hoborough, of Gwent Police, also expressed his sympathies and asked the public to refrain from speculation while the force continued to support the investigation.
A teenage girl who was killed after getting out of a police car on the M5 in Somerset has been named.
Tamzin Hall, 17 and from Wellington, was hit by a vehicle that was travelling southbound between junction 24 for Bridgwater and junction 25 for Taunton shortly after 11pm on Monday.
She had exited a police vehicle that had stopped on the northbound side of the motorway while transporting her.
A mandatory referral was made to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, which is now carrying out its own investigation into what happened.
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Avon and Somerset Police said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to Tamzin’s family for their devastating loss.
“A specially-trained family liaison officer remains in contact with them to keep them updated and to provide support.
“The family have asked for privacy at this difficult time.”
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The police watchdog, the IOPC, has been asked to investigate.
In a statement, director David Ford, said: “This was a truly tragic incident and my thoughts are with Tamzin’s family and friends and everyone affected by the events of that evening.
“We are contacting her family to express our sympathies, explain our role, and set out how our investigation will progress. We will keep them fully updated as our investigation continues.”
Paramedics attended the motorway within minutes of the girl being hit but she was pronounced dead at the scene.
The motorway was closed in both directions while investigations took place. It was fully reopened shortly after 11am on Tuesday, Nationals Highways said.
A survivors group advocating for women allegedly assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed has said it is “grateful another abuser has been unmasked”, after allegations his brother Salah also participated in the abuse.
Justice for Harrods Survivors says it has “credible evidence” suggesting the sexual abuse allegedly perpetrated at Harrods and the billionaire’s properties “was not limited to Mr al Fayed himself”.
The group’s statement comes after three women told BBC News they were sexually assaulted by al Fayed’s brother, Salah.
One woman said she was raped by Mohamed al Fayed while working at Harrods.
Helen, who has waived her right to anonymity, said she then took a job working for his brother as an escape. She alleges she was drugged and sexually assaulted while working at Salah’s home on Park Lane, London.
Two other women have told the BBC they were taken to Monaco and the South of France, where Salah sexually abused them.
Mohamed al Fayed. Pic: AP
The Justice for Harrod Survivors representatives said: “We are proud to support the survivors of Salah Fayed’s abuse and are committed to achieving justice for them, no matter what it takes.”
The group added it “looks forward to the others on whom we have credible evidence – whether abusers themselves or enablers facilitating that abuse – being exposed in due course”.
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Salah was one of the three Fayed brothers who co-owned Harrods.
The business, which was sold to Qatar Holdings when Mohamed al Fayed retired in 2010, has said it “supports the bravery of these women in coming forward”.
A statement issued by the famous store on Thursday evening continued: “We encourage these survivors to come forward and make their claims to the Harrods scheme, where they can apply for compensation, as well as support from a counselling perspective and through an independent survivor advocate.
“We also hope that they are looking at every appropriate avenue to them in their pursuit of justice, whether that be Harrods, the police or the Fayed family and estate.”
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Bianca Gascoigne speaks about Al Fayed abuse
The Justice for Harrods Survivors group previously said more than 400 people had contacted them regarding accusations about Mohamed al Fayed, who died last year.
One of those alleged to have been abused is Bianca Gascoigne, the daughter of former England player Paul.
Speaking to Sky News in October, Gascoigne said she was groomed and sexually assaulted by al Fayed when she worked at Harrods as a teenager.
UK
Wes Streeting ‘crossed the line’ by opposing assisted dying in public, says Labour peer Harriet Harman
Wes Streeting “crossed the line” by opposing assisted dying in public and the argument shouldn’t “come down to resources”, a Labour peer has said.
Speaking on Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast, Baroness Harriet Harman criticised the health secretary for revealing how he is going to vote on the matter when it comes before parliament later this month.
MPs are being given a free vote, meaning they can side with their conscience and not party lines, so the government is supposed to be staying neutral.
But Mr Streeting has made clear he will vote against legalising assisted dying, citing concerns end-of-life care is not good enough for people to make an informed choice, and that some could feel pressured into the decision to save the NHS money.
He has also ordered a review into the potential costs of changing the law, warning it could come at the expense of other NHS services if implemented.
Baroness Harman said Mr Streeting has “crossed the line in two ways”.
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“He should not have said how he was going to vote, because that breaches neutrality and sends a signal,” she said.
“And secondly… he’s said the problem is that it will cost money to bring in an assisted dying measure, and therefore he will have to cut other services.
“But paradoxically, he also said it would be a slippery slope because people will be forced to bring about their own death in order to save the NHS money. Well, it can’t be doing both things.
“It can’t be both costing the NHS money and saving the NHS money.”
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Review into assisted dying costs
Baroness Harman said the argument “should not come down to resources” as it is a “huge moral issue” affecting “only a tiny number of people”.
She added that people should not mistake Mr Streeting for being “a kind of proxy for Keir Starmer”.
“The government is genuinely neutral and all of those backbenchers, they can vote whichever way they want,” she added.
Read more on this story:
‘Fix care before assisted dying legislation’
Why assisted dying is controversial – and where it’s already legal
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has previously expressed support for assisted dying, but it is not clear how he intends to vote on the issue or if he will make his decision public ahead of time.
The cabinet has varying views on the topic, with the likes of Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood siding with Mr Streeting in her opposition but Energy Secretary Ed Miliband being for it.
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband is said to support the bill. Pic: Reuters
Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood has concerns. Pic: Reuters
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The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill is being championed by Labour backbencher Kim Leadbeater, who wants to give people with six months left to live the choice to end their lives.
Under her proposals, two independent doctors must confirm a patient is eligible for assisted dying and a High Court judge must give their approval.
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Labour MP Kim Leadbeater discusses End of Life Bill
The bill will also include punishments of up to 14 years in prison for those who break the law, including coercing someone into ending their own life.
MPs will debate and vote on the legislation on 29 November, in what will be the first Commons vote on assisted dying since 2015, when the proposal was defeated.
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