An ambulance driver, Emyr Roberts, who appeared “vacant” moments before causing a fatal collision with an oncoming van, admitted to “waking up” after the crash. Roberts, along with paramedic Cai Roberts, was transporting 76-year-old Janet Winspear, a recovering stroke victim, from Ysbyty Gwynedd to Dolgellau Hospital. The ambulance was not equipped with the proper three-point over-the-shoulder harness, and instead, Mrs. Winspear was secured with leg, hip, and chest straps.
On April 8, 2021, while driving on the A470, Roberts veered over the center line, resulting in a near-head-on collision with an Iveco tipper. The judge described the crash as “the stuff of nightmares,” and experts were unable to determine why Roberts had left his lane.
According to prosecutor James Coutts, the driver of the oncoming vehicle, Dean Davies, noticed the ambulance entering his lane but expected it to correct its course. Davies stated that Roberts had a vacant look in his eyes, appearing wide open and staring straight ahead. The collision was almost head-on, pushing the van back over 12 meters and causing it to rotate 45 degrees. Tragically, Mrs. Winspear, who became free of her securing straps during the crash, suffered fatal injuries. Roberts and Davies both sustained chest injuries.
In court, Michael Winspear, Mrs. Winspear’s son, expressed the profound shock and devastation caused by his mother’s cruel and unexpected death. He noted that his mother’s passing occurred on what would have been her 56th wedding anniversary, leaving her three granddaughters heartbroken. Emrys Roberts, remorseful and aware of the insignificance of his fate compared to Mrs. Winspear and her family, pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving.
Roberts, a former firefighter with an exemplary record, had no recollection of the collision, and a consultant neurologist could not provide an explanation. He suffered multiple fractures and spent three weeks in the hospital. The judge, Recorder John Philpotts, emphasized the seriousness of the offense, acknowledging that although the use of shoulder harnesses was not common practice, it did not diminish the gravity of the mistake.
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Roberts received a prison sentence of eight months and a driving ban of 16 months. The judge recognized the tragedy primarily affecting Mrs. Winspear’s family but acknowledged its impact on Roberts to a lesser extent.
Sergeant Liam Morris of the Roads Policing Unit expressed condolences to Mrs. Winspear’s family, stating that Roberts would have to live with the knowledge that his actions caused the death of a beloved woman. He hoped that this case would serve as a reminder for others to reflect on the consequences of their actions behind the wheel, highlighting the tragic outcomes that can result from careless driving.