‘Show-off' driver, 42, who ploughed into schoolgirl, 15, at crossing months after her life-saving transplant is jailed
Keely Morgan, 15, had been crossing the street in Caerau, Cardiff, at around 9.30pm on May 1, 2023, when she was hit by Christopher West, 42, just
Advertisement
4
Keely Morgan, 15, died after being hit by Christopher West's Vauxhall Astra while crossing the street
Credit: WNS
4
The 'brave and courageous' teenager had undergone a life-saving kidney transplant just months before her tragic death
Credit: WNS
4
Christopher West, 42, has been jailed for 16 months for causing death by dangerous driving
Credit: South Wales Police
The motorist had been driving over the 30mph speed limit in his Vauxhall Astra when he ploughed into the teenager, who tragically died at the scene.
West had failed to see Keely at the crossing, despite her being lit up by an iPad she had been using.
The driver, who was sentenced today at
Cardiff
Crown
Court
to 16 months in prison, had been travelling with his two daughters and their friend when he crashed into Keely.
One of the passengers told police West had been "snaking" along the road and had removed his car's black box, which invalidated his insurance.
Advertisement
Read More on UK News
The motorist had also showed off the fact he had removed it before causing Keely's death.
West previously pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and causing death while uninsured.
He had, however, claimed that the car's black box was disconnected after he was working on the car - and that he had forgotten to reconnect it.
Despite also claiming that his driving had been normal, testimonies from his passengers countered these claims.
Advertisement
Most read in The Sun
At his sentencing today, West was branded as an "irresponsible show off" by judge Paul Hobson.
He said: "Keely Morgan was just 15-years-old when she died on May 1, 2023.
Horror moment car ploughs into pedestrian TWICE in front of onlookers as man arrested on suspicion of attempted murder
"Keely died as a result of your actions, as a result of your careless driving that evening.
"You should have seen her and come to a stop in order to allow her to cross.
Advertisement
"Instead, you continued driving, oblivious to her, meaning that when Keely stepped into the road, you collided with her."
The judge described Keely as a young woman who was part of a 'large family network', adding that her loss had 'devastated those who loved her'.
While West had been described as "apologetic" and in a state of panic after the crash, the judge slammed this view.
Hobson said: "Any remorse that you have is overshadowed by your attempts to minimise your level of responsibility, to the extent of challenging what your own passengers were saying.
Advertisement
"Although you may well be sorry for what happened to Keely, a large part of your concern is for yourself."
Not only was West handed a 16-month prison sentence but he was also disqualified from driving for two years and eight months.
'NO SENTENCE WILL EVER BRING HER BACK'
Earlier this week at the trial, Keely's mum Sian Morgan paid an emotional tribute to her daughter in her victim statement.
Sian said her daughter had been given a "second chance of life" aged 13 and had fought "so hard" to live a normal life.
Advertisement
The tragedy of her "preventable" death will haunt her forever, she continued.
Sian said: "She fought so hard to have the opportunity to live a normal life and have the joys of being a teenager.
"She remained brave, courageous, and positive, but those dreams have been cruelly taken from her in an instant.
"She'll never be able to finish school, go to university, follow her dreams, experience the joys and the milestones of life.
Advertisement
"She had so much love to give. She was truly an incredible person with promise and a
future
ahead of her."
The young girl's devastated parents described the tragedy as "beyond repair" and a loss they will carry for the rest of their lives.
Her life mattered. Her death must mean something.
Sian Morgan
Sian said: "Every day I wake up and relive a nightmare. Her loss ripples through every part of our lives.
"My heart aches every day for my daughter who I can no longer hug or see the incredible person she could have been.
Advertisement
"The world is a darker place without her. The trauma of losing her in a sudden, violent, but preventable way haunts us."
She added: "This was totally avoidable. That one decision, that one moment, took everything from us.
"A pedestrian crossing is meant to protect people like Keely who was using the crossing appropriately as she had a right to do so but she was struck and killed.
"Her life was taken by the drastic failure of you and you alone. You had a duty to uphold fundamental safety laws of being safe while driving and you chose not to do so.
Advertisement
"She was an irreplaceable part of my life and her family loved her more than words can say.
"Her life mattered. Her death must mean something. No sentence will ever bring her back."
4
Keely's mum has paid tribute to her 'irreplaceable' daughter
Credit: WNS
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
38 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Iraqi businessman granted asylum in UK ‘led billion-dollar oil smuggling plot to help fund Iran's terror state'
AN IRAQI businessman granted asylum in the UK has been accused of running a billion dollar oil smuggling plot to finance global terrorism and domestic tyranny by Iran. The Trump administration claims Salim Ahmed Said, 47, has been running a network of firms passing off Iranian oil as a product of Iraq to avoid sanctions for at least five years. Advertisement Trucks full of cash made from the scheme have allegedly been sent to Iran to finance the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Iraqi Kurd Said became a British citizen after seeking refuge from the He owns a £27 million hotel in Kensington, Said was placed under US sanctions on July 3 but UK authorities so far do not appear to have taken action against him. Advertisement Read More on UK News The US government said that some of the money from the plot had benefited the US Treasury documents state: 'Salim Ahmed Said runs a network of companies that have been selling Iranian oil falsely declared as Iraqi oil since at least 2020. 'Said's companies use ship-to-ship transfers and other obfuscation techniques to hide their activities. Advertisement Most read in The Sun Live Blog 'Said's companies and vessels blend Iranian oil with Iraqi oil, which is then sold to Western buyers, via Iraq or the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as purely Iraqi oil using forged documentation to avoid sanctions.' 1 Salim Ahmed Said has been accused of running a billion dollar oil smuggling plot to finance global terrorism Credit: Supplied
The Irish Sun
2 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Our family cat was swung in a noose and smashed into a wall by a sick thug – How could someone be so cruel?
A FAMILY whose pet cat was tortured for fun by a sick thug have told of their horror at his ordeal. 6 Sarah Keeling cuddles pet cat Marshall who was swung around in a noose and repeatedly smashed into a wall Credit: Dan Charity 6 Sarah has told The Sun of her shock when she was shown doorbell camera footage of her pet's 6am trauma last week Credit: Supplied 6 Marshall was taken to a vet and given pain killers for bruising and swelling, but X-rays amazingly found no broken bones Credit: Dan Charity The ginger moggie returned home hours later gasping for breath and with rope still around his throat. Marshall was taken to a vet and given pain killers for bruising and swelling, but X-rays amazingly found no broken bones. Owner Sarah Keeling, 38, has told The Sun of her shock when she was shown doorbell camera footage of her pet's 6am trauma last week. Hospital worker Sarah, who is eight months pregnant, said: 'I don't know what goes through someone's head to do such a cruel thing to a little animal. Read More on UK News "Marshall would have just gone out at that time. He would have gone up to that man expecting to be pampered because he's really friendly and loves the attention. 'Instead, he got rope wrapped around his neck and swung around like a rag doll. I don't understand how someone can walk past the house and do that. It seemed like he was trying to kill our poor cat in the video. 'I watched it and felt ill in my stomach. It was sickening. I genuinely thought Marshall was dead and we'd never see him again. But I knew if he was alive, he would come home.' Sarah's eight-year-old daughter Emily was distraught when Marshall went missing last Thursday. Most read in The Sun As locals helped to hunt for the cat, Emily wrote a heartbreaking letter to her beloved pet which read: 'We won't let you down. If we do, I'm sorry. I love you.' Sarah said: 'Emily was devastated. I just told her someone had been nasty to the cat and he ran away but we'll find him.' When Marshall came back at 1am on Friday, Emily fell asleep snuggling with the cat on the sofa. Shock moment a cat has a near miss with an unexpected explosion Emily said: 'We were cuddling and snoring. I was very sad and angry when he went missing. I wrote a letter to him and I read it to him. We play together a lot. I play with his favourite little cat toy which is a stick with a mouse. 'Lots of people have given him new toys which we'll try playing with. The vet said he's put on weight from all the treats. At least he's home, that's all that matters.' Sarah's partner Stuart Duncombe, 41, a kitchen appliance fitter, said: 'I don't get how anyone could do that. It was really shocking.' Marshall's ordeal came just weeks after Sarah's son Jake, 12, lost his cat Millie when she was run over. The family of Basingstoke, Hants, set up a GoFundMe page to cover vet bills which has raised £4,000. Henry Newey, 18, has admitted causing unnecessary suffering to an animal and is due to be sentenced by Basingstoke JPs in September. 6 Sarah said: 'I don't know what goes through someone's head to do such a cruel thing to a little animal' 6 Sarah added: 'He got rope wrapped around his neck and swung around like a rag doll' 6 The sick attack on Marshall was captured on a doorbell camera Credit: GOFUNDME
Irish Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Fred West was a monster, but Rose did something even worse to us kids'
Few could be worse parents than Fred and Rose West. Their 16 year old daughter Heather was strangled, dismembered in the family bath (using a kitchen knife to avoid scratching the enamel) and buried under the patio. Fred West's eight year old stepdaughter Charmaine was found kneecapped and dissected under their previous residence. Not one, but two of West's pregnant mistresses were discovered in unofficial graves, both just a few weeks away from full term. West's ex-wife Rena was found in a nearby field, a runaway was buried under what used to be a paddling pool. Another woman was found under the bathroom floor and five more were in the cellar - where the youngest West children slept. However, those who survived life at 25 Cromwell Street in Gloucester didn't consider themselves much luckier. Author Howard Sounes, who helped break the West story as a Mirror reporter in 1994 and is now the leading expert on the case, recently gained access to over 100 hours of Fred West's unheard police interviews. Now, in Day One of our serialisation of his new book The Fred West Tapes: Secrets of the Fred and Rose West Murder Investigation, he shares his chilling previously-unpublished interview with West's son Barry, revealing what it was truly like growing up in Britain's House of Horrors, reports the Mirror. Barry's sisters, Mae West and Heather West, daughters of Fred and Rose West. (Image: Collect) Fred and Rose West's 10 victims (Image: Rex Features) Anna-Marie West was a mere eight years old when her father and stepmother first violated her. From then on, violation became a regular occurrence. She was bound to metal torture devices that builder Fred West crafted at work - and was told it was perfectly normal. Some, but not all, of the West children were exploited for sexual gratification not only by Fred and Rose. On occasion, a few of them were permitted to attend their parents' party - only, according to one child, to be abused by inebriated men with their parents' endorsement. Incest was ingrained in Fred's DNA, and child abuse was as commonplace as meal times at 25 Cromwell Street. But, oddly enough, it wasn't always their father who instilled the most fear amongst the West children. It was Rose. The mother and stepmother has refuted all allegations against her for 30 years. However, in November 1995, she was convicted of 10 counts of murder between 1971 and 1987. During the trial, the court heard copious evidence of her committing severe sexual and physical assaults against children. She later became only the second woman - after Myra Hindley - to be given a Whole Life Order, meaning she'll never be released. Many of her children, like her son Barry, received a life sentence of their own - never recovering from the trauma the Wests inflicted. Fred and Rose West 25 Cromwell Street. (Image: He battled with his mental health and had been using drugs. He tragically passed away two years after meeting me to recount the full horror of life inside the House of Horrors. In a heart-wrenching interview, Barry revealed: "My dad was a solid monster," but he added, "But she [Rose] was a complete psycho. That's what people don't know: My mum was, child abuse-wise, the main person. My mum was completely sick in the head. She beat me way more than my dad did, and enjoyed it, absolutely enjoyed it." When they were children, the West siblings were forced to sleep in the cellar, often locked in there at night, sometimes strapped to their beds. Rose was the jailer of her own children, wearing the keys to the cellar around her neck. The slightest provocation would trigger Rose, resulting in violent outbursts: not just hitting and slapping but stabbing and strangling her children. She also used a novelty giant wooden spoon as a weapon. "My nose is on a slant because of the amount of times she broke it," Barry confessed. "She would use [the spoon] as a baseball bat to beat us. I've got massive scars on the back of my head from the amount of times she split my head open with it. She broke my arm, all sorta stuff. She had intense enjoyment in beating the s**t out of me... " Inside 25 Cromwell Street where bodies were hidden just below where the children slept (Image: mirrorpix) TV Producer Howard Sounes covered the case for the Mirror in 1994 and is Senior Producer of Netflix's Fred & Rose: A British Horror Story. His new book, serialised in the Mirror, features a never-before-seen photo of Fred West in prison on the cover Tragically, these are Barry's earliest memories. He said: "She was just as sick as him. Her moods didn't change. She used to hit us even on Christmas Day. She used to smack you straight in the mouth." One Christmas, Barry made the mistake of not liking his mum's Brussels sprouts. "I put them in a tissue and then hid them in the back of a chair," he said. Days later Rose discovered them, rotting away. "She put them on the table, and she made me eat them," he added. "[Then] she put her hand over my mouth and made me swallow my own sick. That's the sort of s**t I had growing up. I don't remember any present opening." Life at Cromwell Street was utterly without joy. Rose dispatched her daughters to school with cropped hair, like lads, wearing boys' footwear because it was more durable. She forced her girls to wash their hair with washing-up liquid instead of proper shampoo and refused to buy deodorant, leaving them open to mockery from classmates. The West lads attended school dressed in their sisters' cast-offs, their hair allowed to grow long like girls. Several developed squints and speech problems, which can be signs of child abuse. Police bring out the grim evidence during the search of 25 Cromwell Street in 1994. This November will be 30 years since Rose West's conviction (Image: mirrorpix) Fred and Rose West (Image: PA) "When we was young, we all had speech impediments," says Barry, "I got my face punched in every day I went to school....[I was] scared to go to school, scared to go home." It wasn't just Rose awaiting him at home. His father was there too. The youngsters once pooled their money to buy him a £12 Zippo lighter for Father's Day. They even had it engraved. "He threw it across the room," Barry recalled. "That was the kind of man he was." That wasn't even the beginning of it. West spoke about sex constantly in front of the children, about wanting to take his daughters' virginity, about the family tradition of incest, even sex with animals. His declared ambition – the very notion is mad – was to see Rose mounted by a bull. "[Dad] was such a revolting man, he was vile," Barry told me. Fred wanted to deflower his daughters, and Barry claimed he was coerced into sexual situations with his mother at just "eight or nine". The children frequently had to take phone bookings for 'Mandy', their mum's pseudonym when she was working as a prostitute. Barry began being offered up to clients as an extra, as such. Barry West, believed to be aged eight. He was given a new identity when his parents were arrested and kept his adult appearance secret Rose West, aged six. (Image: According to him, one evening, Rose came downstairs in her nightdress and told Barry to follow her to her room. "She said, 'There's a man in here and I want you to do exactly what he tells you to do, no matter what'," recalled Barry. "[I] was just confused. I didn't know what she was talking about. I walk in and there was a giant man in front of me." The man raped Barry. This was just the beginning. His abuser continued to visit the house to molest him and have sex with Rose. The mum had a dedicated pair of underwear for each regular, kept in separate labelled jars. West also insisted she kept all used contraceptives in order to "artificially inseminate" their children. Barry claimed they were even made to watch homemade porn featuring their mother. It was occasionally suggested within the family that Barry might not have been West's biological child at all, but rather the result of the incestuous relationship between Rose and her father, Bill Letts. Bill had reportedly been sexually abusing Rose since childhood and, according to notes made in prison by West, was a frequent visitor to Cromwell Street. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week West claimed one of his daughters once came downstairs complaining: "Grampy [is] going to sleep with me." According to West, Rose responded: "He is not going to eat you, he is only going to f**k you. You'll probably love it." (Rose consistently denies all wrongdoing despite her murder convictions). Alongside the violence and abuse, young women were being lured to the house where they were assaulted, killed, and often dismembered by West (in the family bathroom). All victims were discovered with fingers, toes and other body parts missing, prompting one psychologist to suggest there may have been a cannibalistic aspect to the murders. The eldest surviving child Anna-Marie was approaching nine when 19 year old Lynda Gough was murdered in 1973, marking the first of the nine Cromwell Street killings. Eight more women, some of them lodgers, vanished over the following six years. The remains of West's first wife Rena, pregnant mistress Anne McFall and stepdaughter Charmaine were interred elsewhere. Most of the children insisted they were oblivious to what was happening. However, years later, one child (who will remain unnamed) alleged that there were days when they were locked in a cupboard under the stairs amidst shouting and screaming. Upon emerging, they noticed fresh concrete had been poured in the cellar. Fred and Rose in the early days of the relationship. Rose was found guilty of 10 counts of murder, while Fred hanged himself before trial (Image: Netflix: Fred & Rose West: A British Horror Story) "Why didn't we all run away?" Barry, who later grappled with severe psychological issues, questioned me. "I suppose that's the hold he had, the power. My dad was like God. You couldn't beat him. You couldn't run away. He would find you." Barry considered ending their torment by killing his father. "I tried stabbing him when I was 11 with a screwdriver. He just laughed at me," he alleged. The younger siblings did manage some retaliation against Rose, however. Just before they were taken into care during the police investigation, Barry claimed Rose attacked them with a wooden spoon and they all united to confront her. "I remember all my sisters piling on top [of her], and we all sort of stood up [to her] and she was exhausted," he alleged. "She was knackered. She hit us until [she] couldn't hit us anymore. And that's when she broke down. And I saw the weakness of her, and she was crying her eyes out." However, the children were well aware not to cross any boundaries - or break the West's code of silence. Heather, Barry's older sister, served as their warning. She disappeared at the age of 16 in 1987 after expressing a desire to leave home. The children were informed that she had moved away and severed contact. But it became a family 'joke': if you crossed Fred and Rose, you'd end up like Heather - beneath the patio, three paving stones up and nine across. Barry later revealed: "That was what was going to happen to all of us when we got old enough. If we didn't turn out like him, we was against him. And if we was against him, we would have to go in the garden – under the patio. He made us understand that." When this 'joke' reached the police, the diggers were brought in. And the Wests' decades of degradation could no longer remain hidden. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
