Latest news with #MGZR
North Wales Live
a day ago
- North Wales Live
All our lives changed that day in the blink of an eye, when you took away her life
The thought of coming home to an empty house, cooking for himself and going to bed alone, without his beloved wife continues to fill Allan Bradford with "dread". 52-year-old Catherine was out jogging along High Street in Dowlais on September 19, 2022. However she was stuck by Alex Rickwood, who lost control of the MG ZR car he was uninsured to drive, mounting the pavement, and killing her. The car reached speeds of "between 50 and 60 mph", according to witnesses, before the killer lost control of it on a sweeping bend at the brow of the hill. He over-corrected his error and smashed into a lamppost. Following the tragedy, Catherine's husband Allan is now speaking out in hope it will serve as a warning to other "senseless" motorists, reports WalesOnline. It was heard how hobbyist mechanic Rickwood - who also worked at the Ford dealership in Merthyr Tydfil - took his mate's car to get new petrol because it had been misfiring. After stopping at the Esso garage in Penydarren, Rickwood drove off and accelerated up a hill to "test" the engine. It was only after the crash that Rickwood realised he had hit and killed innocent jogger Catherine, who was just "30 yards" into her run after her husband Allan Bradford dropped her off. Almost three years on from that traumatic day Allan has opened up about life since. Although it is still incredibly painful for him to talk about what happened, he said he is doing so in the hope that it encourages people to drive safely "This isn't a sob story about me," he said. "The reason I want to speak out and share this is so that hopefully at least one of these people notices and gets some understanding of how it changes so many lives. That's the only positive we can get out of this." Describing what happened that day, he said: "On that occasion she was supposed to go for a jog on Sunday as she usually did, but that afternoon she said she didn't feel like it. "She ended up going on the Monday instead. At around 4pm she said she didn't really feel like it but wanted to push herself to go for a run. A little while later she came downstairs with her jogging kit on and told me to put the oven on in around half an hour once I had dropped her off. "I always took her to Goat Mill Road near the roundabout and she ran on the left hand side of the road. On this occasion she said let's go another way for a change and said to drop her off in the layby rather than where I normally do." On their way Allan said the pair popped in to see her mam and dad, where the family joked together about Catherine's bright pink running gear - which she purposely wore to keep herself safe. Allan said in a victim impact statement read out to the court on Monday: "I remember her mam commenting on how brightly dressed she was and said she should have put her sunglasses on. Cath lit up the room with her beautiful smile and said: 'Well I'm never going to get run over dressed like this am I!' "Those words will stay with me for the rest of my life. We didn't stay long, probably 15 minutes or so. She said her goodbyes and I drove her up to Dowlais high street, to drop her off. "Before she opened the door she said: 'Give me a kiss,' which I did, and as she got out of the car, she told me to put the oven on 30 minutes after I get back home so she could prepare our tea when she gets back. "As I pulled away, I glanced in the mirror and saw her walking off down the pavement. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would ever see her." Allan said Catherine "didn't get 30 yards" before she was hit. He told WalesOnline the heartbreaking way in which he and Catherine's daughter Megan received the news. He said: "Around 10 minutes after the hour passed Meg came downstairs and said: 'Mammy is late and isn't home'. We rang her a few times and she didn't answer, so we started worrying at that point and we both jumped into the car to retrace Cath's steps. "As I got to the roundabout near The Bessemer Hotel, there was a police car across the road and the road was shut off. Meg was with me and we pulled over. "We spoke to a police officer and said Cath had been for a run and hadn't come back yet. He asked for a description, which we gave, and then he said: 'We can tell you there has been an incident and a runner has been killed'. "His colleague came down and told us the runner fitted Cath's description. It was traumatic to say the least. It was horrendous." He said the aftermath of what happened was "horrific". He explained: "It just seems too unreal for it to be real, since the day it happened and ever since. I struggle to believe it has happened even to this day. It doesn't get easier. "It is every bit as raw and painful today as it was [then]. If anything it has got harder because of the reality that she is not about anymore. "It's like you are stuck in one of those dreams that you are not enjoying and it's going around and around in your head and it won't stop. It's still as raw as ever. "The way in which we lost her was traumatic to say the least. I[still] dread coming home to an empty house, cooking for myself and going to bed alone. There have been a lot of ups and downs and I have had counselling. In recent months Allan said the family have had to endure the added difficulty of preparing for the court case, which had taken two years to reach the first hearing. Although this was not the fault of Rickwood, the defendant initially pleaded guilty to dangerous driving which led to further delays and saw the family face having to prepare for a trial. However, Rickwood changed his plea to guilty in May which avoided the trial and resulted in the sentencing on Monday. Allan said: "It would have been two years and eight months since it happened when we should have been in court [for the trial], but two days before that he changed his plea "It was naughty of him to change his plea just two days before the trial was supposed to happen. We all as a family had mentally prepared ourselves up to that point to go through the whole trial, then this happened two working days before. It was quite cruel to put us through that really. "[More recently] we had the police here, the liaison officer and chief investigating officer, going through things with us in preparation for the sentencing, so that details that come out in court don't come as such a shock to us. "It was very upsetting to go through that. We were told details that surprised us and that we didn't previously know. We were shown CCTV footage, which was really tough. Reaching out to drivers before they get behind the wheel, Allan said he hopes Catherine's story can help them understand that dangerous driving has real consequences that can end and ruin lives forever. He said: "I hope that they might see it on social media, or that parents will share it with their children to educate them about how driving like this can ruin lives. "So many lives have been ruined or affected by this, and for what? What does anyone get out of driving dangerously? It doesn't make any sense at all. "It's pointless and senseless. He's ruined [Rickwood's] life, he's ruined his family's life, he's killed my wife and he's ruined our lives. "You see so many people driving around here in a crazy manner, using the roads as a race track. I witnessed it myself even just a few weeks ago where I nearly got run over myself near the fire station traffic lights; someone came around the corner driving like a lunatic. To have to witness that after all this was awful. It's only a matter of time before it happens to someone else." He added: "I want people to keep thinking about this and I want people to keep talking about this because I want people to see who she was. "She wasn't just another statistic, she was absolutely lovely and she had her whole life ahead of her. She had so much to live for and we had so many plans for the future." Paying tribute to Catherine as part of his victim impact statement, he wrote: "She was one of the most beautiful caring human beings that ever walked the face of this earth. She loved life. She was so full of life and enthusiastic about everything she did, she had so much to live for. "She loved family life, and she always did her best to look after us all. She doted on our children and grandchildren, and she loved spending time with them, and they all loved her to bits and thought she was the best mam and nan in the world. "She was a great cook, always trying new recipes, she loved baking, and her cakes were amazing. At Christmas she would have the whole family come to our house and she would cook the most amazing dinner for us, with all the trimmings and wonderful desserts and always did her best to entertain everyone and loved seeing everyone happy and enjoying themselves. "She used to carry out voluntary work at the local homeless center, helping with cooking meals and collecting clothing and supplies for them, and would often give items of furniture from our home to others in need. "One of her passions was keeping herself fit and healthy and she enjoyed running. She would often take part in events to raise money for charity. "We had the most amazing, happy life together, we did almost everything together and would be off on our adventures in our little motorhome as often as we could. "She was not just my wife; she was my best friend. My soulmate. We had so many plans for the future. So many things we wanted to do, so many places we wanted to go. I thought we would grow old together "We had four children between us and five grandchildren, and we were looking forward to doing the normal things in life like spending time with our grandchildren and watching them grow up and seeing our children get married and being there for them whenever we could." Addressing Rickwood directly, he wrote: "But all our lives changed that day in the blink of an eye, when you took away her life."
Wales Online
a day ago
- Wales Online
This isn't a sob story about me but every driver should hear this
This isn't a sob story about me but every driver should hear this 'I glanced in the mirror and saw her walking off down the pavement. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would ever see her' Allan Bradford was devoted to his wife Catherine (Image: Supplied by Allan Bradford ) Allan Bradford continues to 'dread' coming home to an empty house, cooking for himself and going to bed alone without his beloved wife. Catherine, 52, was out jogging along High Street in Dowlais on September 19, 2022, when Alex Rickwood lost control of the MG ZR car he was uninsured to drive, mounted the pavement, and killed her. According to witnesses the car reached speeds of 'between 50 and 60 mph', before the killer lost control of it on a sweeping bend at the brow of the hill, over-corrected his error and smashed into a lamppost. Catherine's husband Allan is now speaking out in hope that the tragedy will serve as a warning to other 'senseless' motorists. Rickwood, of Wern Isaf in Dowlais, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday to five years and five months in prison having previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving with no insurance while using a fraudulent trade plate. Read more about the sentencing here. The 32-year-old was also disqualified from driving for more than seven years. It was heard how hobbyist mechanic Rickwood - who also worked at the Ford dealership in Merthyr Tydfil - took his mate's car to get new petrol because it had been misfiring. After stopping at the Esso garage in Penydarren, Rickwood drove off and accelerated up a hill to 'test' the engine. Article continues below It was only after the crash that Rickwood realised he had hit and killed innocent jogger Catherine, who was just '30 yards' into her run after her husband Allan Bradford dropped her off. Almost three years on from that traumatic day Allan has opened up about life since. Although it is still incredibly painful for him to talk about what happened, he said he is doing so in the hope that it encourages people to drive safely 'This isn't a sob story about me,' he said. 'The reason I want to speak out and share this is so that hopefully at least one of these people notices and gets some understanding of how it changes so many lives. That's the only positive we can get out of this.' Cath lit up the room with her beautiful smile (Image: Supplied by Allan Bradford ) For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here Describing what happened that day, he told WalesOnline: 'On that occasion she was supposed to go for a jog on Sunday as she usually did, but that afternoon she said she didn't feel like it. 'She ended up going on the Monday instead. At around 4pm she said she didn't really feel like it but wanted to push herself to go for a run. A little while later she came downstairs with her jogging kit on and told me to put the oven on in around half an hour once I had dropped her off. 'I always took her to Goat Mill Road near the roundabout and she ran on the left hand side of the road. On this occasion she said let's go another way for a change and said to drop her off in the layby rather than where I normally do.' On their way Allan said the pair popped in to see her mam and dad, where the family joked together about Catherine's bright pink running gear - which she purposely wore to keep herself safe. Allan said in a victim impact statement read out to the court on Monday: 'I remember her mam commenting on how brightly dressed she was and said she should have put her sunglasses on. Cath lit up the room with her beautiful smile and said: 'Well I'm never going to get run over dressed like this am I!' 'Those words will stay with me for the rest of my life. We didn't stay long, probably 15 minutes or so. She said her goodbyes and I drove her up to Dowlais high street, to drop her off. 'Before she opened the door she said: 'Give me a kiss,' which I did, and as she got out of the car, she told me to put the oven on 30 minutes after I get back home so she could prepare our tea when she gets back. 'As I pulled away, I glanced in the mirror and saw her walking off down the pavement. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would ever see her.' Allan said Catherine 'didn't get 30 yards' before she was hit. He told WalesOnline the heartbreaking way in which he and Catherine's daughter Megan received the news. He said: 'Around 10 minutes after the hour passed Meg came downstairs and said: 'Mammy is late and isn't home'. We rang her a few times and she didn't answer, so we started worrying at that point and we both jumped into the car to retrace Cath's steps. 'As I got to the roundabout near The Bessemer Hotel, there was a police car across the road and the road was shut off. Meg was with me and we pulled over. 'We spoke to a police officer and said Cath had been for a run and hadn't come back yet. He asked for a description, which we gave, and then he said: 'We can tell you there has been an incident and a runner has been killed'. 'His colleague came down and told us the runner fitted Cath's description. It was traumatic to say the least. It was horrendous.' Megan Thomas with her mam Catherine Bradford (Image: Megan Thomas ) He said the aftermath of what happened was 'horrific'. He explained: 'It just seems too unreal for it to be real, since the day it happened and ever since. I struggle to believe it has happened even to this day. It doesn't get easier. 'It is every bit as raw and painful today as it was [then]. If anything it has got harder because of the reality that she is not about anymore. 'It's like you are stuck in one of those dreams that you are not enjoying and it's going around and around in your head and it won't stop. It's still as raw as ever. 'The way in which we lost her was traumatic to say the least. I[still] dread coming home to an empty house, cooking for myself and going to bed alone. There have been a lot of ups and downs and I have had counselling. In recent months Allan said the family have had to endure the added difficulty of preparing for the court case, which had taken two years to reach the first hearing. Although this was not the fault of Rickwood, the defendant initially pleaded guilty to dangerous driving which led to further delays and saw the family face having to prepare for a trial. However, Rickwood changed his plea to guilty in May which avoided the trial and resulted in the sentencing on Monday. Allan said: 'It would have been two years and eight months since it happened when we should have been in court [for the trial], but two days before that he changed his plea 'It was naughty of him to change his plea just two days before the trial was supposed to happen. We all as a family had mentally prepared ourselves up to that point to go through the whole trial, then this happened two working days before. It was quite cruel to put us through that really. '[More recently] we had the police here, the liaison officer and chief investigating officer, going through things with us in preparation for the sentencing, so that details that come out in court don't come as such a shock to us. 'It was very upsetting to go through that. We were told details that surprised us and that we didn't previously know. We were shown CCTV footage, which was really tough. Reaching out to drivers before they get behind the wheel, Allan said he hopes Catherine's story can help them understand that dangerous driving has real consequences that can end and ruin lives forever. Catherine purposely wore bright pink running gear to keep her visible (Image: South Wales Police ) He said: 'I hope that they might see it on social media, or that parents will share it with their children to educate them about how driving like this can ruin lives. 'So many lives have been ruined or affected by this, and for what? What does anyone get out of driving dangerously? It doesn't make any sense at all. 'It's pointless and senseless. He's ruined [Rickwood's] life, he's ruined his family's life, he's killed my wife and he's ruined our lives. 'You see so many people driving around here in a crazy manner, using the roads as a race track. I witnessed it myself even just a few weeks ago where I nearly got run over myself near the fire station traffic lights; someone came around the corner driving like a lunatic. To have to witness that after all this was awful. It's only a matter of time before it happens to someone else.' He added: 'I want people to keep thinking about this and I want people to keep talking about this because I want people to see who she was. 'She wasn't just another statistic, she was absolutely lovely and she had her whole life ahead of her. She had so much to live for and we had so many plans for the future.' Paying tribute to Catherine as part of his victim impact statement, he wrote: 'She was one of the most beautiful caring human beings that ever walked the face of this earth. She loved life. She was so full of life and enthusiastic about everything she did, she had so much to live for. 'She loved family life, and she always did her best to look after us all. She doted on our children and grandchildren, and she loved spending time with them, and they all loved her to bits and thought she was the best mam and nan in the world. 'She was a great cook, always trying new recipes, she loved baking, and her cakes were amazing. At Christmas she would have the whole family come to our house and she would cook the most amazing dinner for us, with all the trimmings and wonderful desserts and always did her best to entertain everyone and loved seeing everyone happy and enjoying themselves. 'She used to carry out voluntary work at the local homeless center, helping with cooking meals and collecting clothing and supplies for them, and would often give items of furniture from our home to others in need. 'One of her passions was keeping herself fit and healthy and she enjoyed running. She would often take part in events to raise money for charity. 'We had the most amazing, happy life together, we did almost everything together and would be off on our adventures in our little motorhome as often as we could. 'She was not just my wife; she was my best friend. My soulmate. We had so many plans for the future. So many things we wanted to do, so many places we wanted to go. I thought we would grow old together Article continues below 'We had four children between us and five grandchildren, and we were looking forward to doing the normal things in life like spending time with our grandchildren and watching them grow up and seeing our children get married and being there for them whenever we could.' Addressing Rickwood directly, he wrote: 'But all our lives changed that day in the blink of an eye, when you took away her life.'
Wales Online
5 days ago
- Wales Online
'I felt like I was dying too' says daughter who arrived at crash scene to find mum had been killed
'I felt like I was dying too' says daughter who arrived at crash scene to find mum had been killed 'My mam simply went out for a run and when she didn't come home on time, I never thought that going out to look for her would result in me and Allan being met with police blocking the road' Megan Thomas with her mam Catherine Bradford (Image: Megan Thomas ) A young woman has described the earth-shattering moment she was told by police officers at a crime scene that her mam had been killed by a dangerous driver. Catherine Bradford, 52, was out jogging along High Street in Dowlais on September 19, 2022, when Alex Rickwood lost control of the MG ZR car he was uninsured to drive, mounted the pavement and hit her. Rickwood, of Wern Isaf in Dowlais, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday to five years and five months in prison having previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving with no insurance while using a fraudulent trade plate. The 32-year-old was also disqualified from driving for more than seven years. During the sentencing, five of Catherine's close family members bravely faced Rickwood in the dock to read out victim impact statements. They included her elderly mother, Jean Davies, who stood up and told the court how she still talks to photographs of her daughter every day. Catherine's children, Megan Thomas, 27, and Adam James, 34, were also among those who opened up about how their lives had been "destroyed". Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here Visibly upset, Megan told the court how she went out looking for her mam with her stepfather Allan after she failed to return home. Article continues below Megan was one of five family members who bravely shared impact statements to the court (Image: Megan Thomas ) Heartbreakingly, they came across the scene of the crash and were told by officers that a woman who fitted Catherine's description had been killed. Megan said: "The trauma I have had to endure is indescribable. September 19, 2022, was the worst day of my life. A day I still have to re-live. "My mam simply went out for a run and when she didn't come home on time, I never thought that going out to look for her would result in me and Allan being met with police blocking the road. "The blue flashing lights still haunt me to this day. 'I'm sorry but with the description you have given us, it does sound like Cath, and she has passed away'. "The sound that came out of me in that moment didn't feel real. I felt like I was dying too. There was nothing we could do. It was so final. So unfair. It shouldn't have been her. "My life will never be the same again. The future that I pictured for myself has been taken away with one selfish, unforgivable act. "My mam was my best friend, someone I went to for everything and anything. Who do I go to now? Who will be there to help me on my wedding day? "Who will be there if I decide to have my own children? Who will give me advice only a mother can give? That's all been ripped away from me." Megan said she was off work for months after her mam's life was taken (Image: Megan Thomas ) She went on to describe how she had struggled to rebuild her life after her mother's had been "stolen from her". She said: "Since this has happened, I constantly feel anxious or in a state of panic, as if something bad will happen again. "I was off work for months, living in limbo trying to put myself back together again whilst simultaneously planning a funeral. "No 25-year-old should have to plan their own mother's funeral." Paying tribute to Catherine, she said: "My mam was the best. The kindest, loveliest, selfless person you could ever meet. She would do anything for anyone. We all miss her. I miss her. "It physically hurts to think that we will never see her smile or hear her laugh ever again." Catherine's son, Adam, described how he was working away with the military when he discovered his mam had died. It came shortly after his final video call with her. He told the court: "Before I deployed on operations, I went through plans of my own that no mother should ever have to sit down and discuss with her child. We discussed the worst-case scenario of me not returning. It was heartbreaking to see her so upset but it was the reality of the job I chose to do. "I never thought or dreamed that it was my mother who would die first. When I last saw her, she was a healthy, young, fit woman and in the relative safety of the UK. I can clearly remember the last time I spoke to her. It was on September 19, 2022. "I was deployed overseas on operations and we chatted over a facetime call. Her face was very pixelated, but it is an image that I will never forget. "We spoke briefly about my last mission and we chatted about the usual things like weather being horrendously hot where I was. "The lads in my team were all thanking her for the parcels she and Allan had sent out to me. That was the type of person my mother this point, it felt like an age since I saw any of my family in person, as it was close to six months. "She talked to me about any and all things she had been up to over the past month, trying to squeeze as much information into such a short conversation as possible - from her job, training, events, family and general silly knew that it may be a while until we spoke again, so she finished the call with: 'Right, I'm going now I'm getting ready for a run, stop talking to me and ring Jayne (my partner) and the kids. I'll give you a text later with my run time.' "People these days take phone calls for granted...I wish I could take one of those calls from her now. I wish we could chat for hours about all those silly things we used to do. I'd give anything to hear her voice just one last time. "Later on, that very same day I received another phone call, this time from my cousin Richard. He sounded muffled and was muttering in a sobbing way...I immediately hung up and called my sister Megan, who by now was sobbing and she confirmed the information. My heart sunk as my legs gave way and I fell to the floor. "I cannot to this day describe the feeling that overcame me at that point, but it was horrendous, shaking, tears streaming down my face and my colleagues quickly stripping me of my weapon as a precaution, as they heard everything said." L-R: Adam, Catherine, Megan and Allan (Image: Megan Thomas ) He said he had since rendered himself as "medically non deployable" due to the toll of the tragedy on his mental state. Addressing Rickwood, he said: "I point blank refuse to grieve until I know that you, as the person who killed my mother, have been brought to justice and given what you rightly deserve. "I still, to this day, cannot come to understand why on a 30mph road next to residential properties in dry conditions, you felt the need to drive at such excessive speeds. "So much so that you lost control of the vehicle, went through a lamppost (taking it clean off out the ground). You struck my beautiful innocent mother and sent her through the air to die on the roadside. Article continues below "For me you used that car as a deadly weapon. In my eyes, you will never be able to justify your actions. You killed an innocent, charitable, totally selfless woman - my mother Catherine." Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here .
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Wales Online
Speeding driver lost control and killed mum out jogging on pavement
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A dangerous driver has been jailed for killing a grandmother who was out jogging along a pavement, after losing control of a vehicle. Catherine Bradford, who "lit up the room with her beautiful smile", died at the scene, after Alex Rickwood lost control of the MG ZR car he was uninsured to drive at High Street, Dowlais, Methyr Tydfil, and mounted the pavement. Rickwood, now 32, was described by witnesses as driving "like a lunatic" as he failed to negotiate a sweeping bend while driving well above the 30mph speed limit, reports WalesOnline. A sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, June 30, heard a number of heartbreaking victim impact statements from Mrs Bradford's family, who described their pain as "beyond belief". Her daughter Megan and husband Allan described the unimaginable trauma of going out looking for Ms Bradford when she failed to return home from her run, before police officers told them the devastating news at the scene. Setting out the facts of the case, prosecutor Clare Wilks said the car belonged to Rickwood's friend, Ryan Hunt, who had bought it to restore some 18 months earlier. It was heard how Rickwood, who worked at the Ford dealership in Merthyr Tydfil, had always been "fascinated" by cars and was skilled in servicing and fixing them, so he had offered his expertise to Mr Hunt that day. The car had previously been kept off road with aim for it to be restored for future legal road use, it was heard. Ms Wilks said Rickwood, of Wern Isaf, asked Mr Hunt if he could drive the car, even though its MOT had expired some eight months earlier, invalidating his third-party insurance. In addition the car had a fraudulent trade plate, which was located in its windows. She described how the pair stopped at the ESSO garage at Penydarren to get petrol before Rickwood "accelerated" up a hill on the eastbound carriageway of High Street - which has a single road going in each direction. As Rickwood approached the brow of the hill it was heard how he said "oh f**" as he realised he had lost control of the vehicle. "He steered to try and gain control, but over-corrected and drove into a lamppost, which fell entirely into the carriageway," Ms Wilks said. It was heard how Mrs Bradford had been wearing a bright pink running top and a pink hat, and that Rickwood had seen a "pink streak" prior to impact. However, it was heard that Rickwood didn't realise he had hit a person until after the collision. Witnesses at the scene heard Rickwood say, "f*** I've hit her, I've killed her," Ms Wilks said. It was heard how Rickwood stayed at the scene and called 999. Ms Bradford was pronounced dead at the scene at 6.22pm and Rickwood was arrested Leading up to the incident Rickwood was captured on CCTV footage, shown to the court, travelling up to 27 miles per hour (mph) in a 20 zone outside a primary school. At the point of impact with Mrs Bradford, it was hard how the car would have been travelling between 36 and 45 mph, but that it would have been travelling faster in the moments before the collision occurred. One witness believed he had been driving between 50 and 60 mph, while another said it was "easily over 40 mph". The speed limit for that stretch is 30 mph. (Image: South Wales Police) The court heard how there was extensive damage to the bonnet of the car, while Rickwood and Mr Hunt also received injuries. Rickwood's head was bleeding, while Mr Hunt believed he had a broken arm. Ms Wilks went on to describe the incident from Mrs Bradford's perspective. She said the 52-year-old grandmother had been spending the afternoon at home before she drove to visit her parents' house at their house along with her husband. Following the visit it was heard how Mrs Bradford - a keen runner who took part in charity events - asked her husband to drop her off in Dowlais so she could run home. It was heard how Mrs Bradford asked her husband to put the oven on so she could make dinner as soon as she came home, before she kissed him goodbye and went on her run. The court heard five powerful victim impact statements read out by Mrs Bradford's family members, including her daughter Megan Thomas, her husband Allan Bradford, her son Adam James, her mother Jean Davies and her sister Helen Williams. Appearing tearful Ms Thomas told the court of the agonising way in which she found out her mother had died. She said: "September 19, 2022 was the worst day of my life. A day I still have to re-live. My mam simply went out for a run, and when she didn't come home on time, I never thought that going out to look for her would result in me and Allan being met with police blocking the road. "The blue flashing lights still haunt me to this day. 'I'm sorry but with the description you have given us, it does sound like Cath, and she has passed away.' "The sound that came out of me at that moment didn't feel real. I felt like I was dying too. There was nothing we could do. It was so final. So unfair. It shouldn't have been her." She continued: "My life will never be the same again. The future that I pictured for myself has been taken away with one selfish, unforgivable act. "My mam was my best friend, someone I went to for everything and anything. Who do I go to now? Who will be there to help me on my wedding day? Who will be there if I decide to have my own children? Who will give me advice only a mother can give? That's all been ripped away from it's two years on and we all still feel broken. "There will always be someone missing at Christmas, birthdays, and just our everyday lives. My mam should still be here with us." Mr Bradford was unable to attend court in person due to a recent heart operation. Instead it was read by the family's liaison officer, who stated: "[That evening] she put on her bright pink running top, her pink baseball cap and the rest of her gear and asked me to give her a lift to Dowlais to drop her off so that she could run back home as she often did. (Image: Allan Bradford) "On the way she wanted to call in to see her mam and dad, and I remember her mam commenting on how brightly dressed she was and said she should have put her sunglasses on. Cath lit up the room with her beautiful smile and said: 'well I'm never going to get ran over dressed like this am I!' "Those words will stay with me for the rest of my life. We didn't stay long, probably 15 minutes or so. She said her goodbyes and I drove her up to Dowlais high street, to drop her off. "Before she opened the door she said: 'give me a kiss,' which I did, and as she got out of the car, she told me to put the oven on 30 minutes after I get back home so she could prepare our tea when she gets back. "As I pulled away, I glanced in the mirror and saw her walking off down the pavement. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would ever see her. "After giving the police officers Cath's description, they told us she had been killed by a car that had mounted the pavement. Meg broke down and I just stood there, numb, it just didn't seem real. "As I stood there, a private ambulance pulled up and they allowed it through to pick up her body. It was unbelievably traumatic." He added: "We had the most amazing, happy life together, we did almost everything together and would be off on our adventures in our little motorhome as often as we could. She was not just my wife; she was my best friend. My soulmate." Addressing Rickwood, he said: "You killed her in such a violent, horrific way inflicting such terrible injuries on her that she had no chance of have changed me. I will never be the same person that I was, I do not see the world the same anymore." Ms Davies told the court of her daughter: "[On September 19, 2022] Catherine and Allan called at our house and we had a chat for a while. "She was wearing a pink top, a colour she loved to wear. Time went by and she said: 'I am going for a run Mam', so I went to the front door to wave them off. "I can't tell you how long it was, but the front door opened, it was Helen, her sister, coming in crying her eyes out, saying: 'Mam I've got a terrible thing to tell you. Catherine was hit on the pavement by a speeding driver and she's dead.' "We just couldn't believe what she was saying to us, then the penny dropped and our lives fell apart. "Catherine wasn't coming home ever again. We miss her, there's not a day or night without thinking about her. She loved life, from school friends to her working days, she had time for everyone with a smile. She was a person who loved people. "Catherine, I talk to your photograph everyday, even if it's just to say 'hi'. We miss you so much." Dressed in his military uniform, Mr James told the court: "Where do I start when it comes to describing the unnecessary reckless death of my mother? I refrain from the word 'loss', as it implies that I have lost something. "My mother was 'taken' - not only from me but also my sister Megan and stepfather Allan and the whole wider family and friends that loved her. (Image: Supplied by Allan Bradford) "Old age, diseases or long term illness, you can plan and prepare yourselves for the inevitable, both in body and mind. Nothing can prepare you mentally or physically for your innocent mother to be killed so violently in a place where it should never have occurred." Mrs Bradford's sister addressed Rickwood, saying: "I want you to know the absolute devastation you caused us that day. The day you chose to get in that car, with no insurance and fake number plate and drive so fast and so reckless that you hit our Catherine, who wa running on the pavement, doing what she loved to do, killing her almost instantly. "Driving to Tredegar that evening, an ambulance and two first responder cars came flying past us. I turned to my partner and said to him: 'Oh god, that's something really serious.' "Little did I know that a few hours later, my niece Meg would be phoning me in a terrible state, telling me that her mother had been killed, those paramedics were going to Catherine." She added: "While you have gone on to create a life and prepare for a future, you have robbed us all of a future with Catherine - A daughter, mother, wife, sister, grandmother, auntie and friend to so so many. I hope you have the time to reflect on what you have done to us with your selfish, irresponsible actions and never put another family through this trauma. You destroyed us as a family that day and for that we will never forgive you." Concluding the prosecution case Ms Wilks told the court that Rickwood - who attended court on Monday wearing a grey suit and carrying a large black sports bag - is of previous clean character, but did have three points of his driving licence for speeding in a 30 mph zone in 2021. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in May, avoiding a trial, and prior to that pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and using a fraudulent replacement trade plate. Defending Rickwood, Andrew Taylor, said: "Nobody could fail to be moved by the tributes and the words used today." He called the case "harrowing" and said it should serve as a warning to everybody before they get in front of the wheel. He described his client as a "dedicated father" who has been left "traumatised by his own auctions" and shows "genuine remorse". Mr Taylor described Rickwood's actions that day as "stupid" and said he would "never, ever forget it". He said Rickwood resigned from his role at the Ford dealership following the incident and took up a job in construction. He pointed out that the delay in proceedings being heard was not solely the fault of Rickwood, noting that the case had taken "two years" to be heard at Magistrates' Court. Sentencing Rickwood Judge Shomon Khan said there is no sentence he could pass that would make up for the loss and trauma experienced by Mrs Bradford's family and friends. Addressing Rickwood, he said: "Your driving fell well below that required standard [of safe driving]. You accept that you drove the vehicle dangerously. The sad fact is you shouldn't have been driving it at all. You weren't insured due to the lack of MOT." He sentenced Rickwood to five years and five months in prison. Rickwood was also disqualified from driving for seven years and eight months, and he will have to take an extended re-test if he wishes to drive after that point. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Find crime figures for your area
North Wales Live
6 days ago
- North Wales Live
Speeding driver lost control and killed mum out jogging on pavement
A dangerous driver has been jailed for killing a grandmother who was out jogging along a pavement, after losing control of a vehicle. Catherine Bradford, who "lit up the room with her beautiful smile", died at the scene, after Alex Rickwood lost control of the MG ZR car he was uninsured to drive at High Street, Dowlais, Methyr Tydfil, and mounted the pavement. Rickwood, now 32, was described by witnesses as driving "like a lunatic" as he failed to negotiate a sweeping bend while driving well above the 30mph speed limit, reports WalesOnline. A sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, June 30, heard a number of heartbreaking victim impact statements from Mrs Bradford's family, who described their pain as "beyond belief". Her daughter Megan and husband Allan described the unimaginable trauma of going out looking for Ms Bradford when she failed to return home from her run, before police officers told them the devastating news at the scene. Setting out the facts of the case, prosecutor Clare Wilks said the car belonged to Rickwood's friend, Ryan Hunt, who had bought it to restore some 18 months earlier. It was heard how Rickwood, who worked at the Ford dealership in Merthyr Tydfil, had always been "fascinated" by cars and was skilled in servicing and fixing them, so he had offered his expertise to Mr Hunt that day. The car had previously been kept off road with aim for it to be restored for future legal road use, it was heard. Ms Wilks said Rickwood, of Wern Isaf, asked Mr Hunt if he could drive the car, even though its MOT had expired some eight months earlier, invalidating his third-party insurance. In addition the car had a fraudulent trade plate, which was located in its windows. She described how the pair stopped at the ESSO garage at Penydarren to get petrol before Rickwood "accelerated" up a hill on the eastbound carriageway of High Street - which has a single road going in each direction. As Rickwood approached the brow of the hill it was heard how he said "oh f**" as he realised he had lost control of the vehicle. "He steered to try and gain control, but over-corrected and drove into a lamppost, which fell entirely into the carriageway," Ms Wilks said. It was heard how Mrs Bradford had been wearing a bright pink running top and a pink hat, and that Rickwood had seen a "pink streak" prior to impact. However, it was heard that Rickwood didn't realise he had hit a person until after the collision. Witnesses at the scene heard Rickwood say, "f*** I've hit her, I've killed her," Ms Wilks said. It was heard how Rickwood stayed at the scene and called 999. Ms Bradford was pronounced dead at the scene at 6.22pm and Rickwood was arrested Leading up to the incident Rickwood was captured on CCTV footage, shown to the court, travelling up to 27 miles per hour (mph) in a 20 zone outside a primary school. At the point of impact with Mrs Bradford, it was hard how the car would have been travelling between 36 and 45 mph, but that it would have been travelling faster in the moments before the collision occurred. One witness believed he had been driving between 50 and 60 mph, while another said it was "easily over 40 mph". The speed limit for that stretch is 30 mph. The court heard how there was extensive damage to the bonnet of the car, while Rickwood and Mr Hunt also received injuries. Rickwood's head was bleeding, while Mr Hunt believed he had a broken arm. Ms Wilks went on to describe the incident from Mrs Bradford's perspective. She said the 52-year-old grandmother had been spending the afternoon at home before she drove to visit her parents' house at their house along with her husband. Following the visit it was heard how Mrs Bradford - a keen runner who took part in charity events - asked her husband to drop her off in Dowlais so she could run home. It was heard how Mrs Bradford asked her husband to put the oven on so she could make dinner as soon as she came home, before she kissed him goodbye and went on her run. The court heard five powerful victim impact statements read out by Mrs Bradford's family members, including her daughter Megan Thomas, her husband Allan Bradford, her son Adam James, her mother Jean Davies and her sister Helen Williams. Appearing tearful Ms Thomas told the court of the agonising way in which she found out her mother had died. She said: "September 19, 2022 was the worst day of my life. A day I still have to re-live. My mam simply went out for a run, and when she didn't come home on time, I never thought that going out to look for her would result in me and Allan being met with police blocking the road. "The blue flashing lights still haunt me to this day. 'I'm sorry but with the description you have given us, it does sound like Cath, and she has passed away.' "The sound that came out of me at that moment didn't feel real. I felt like I was dying too. There was nothing we could do. It was so final. So unfair. It shouldn't have been her." She continued: "My life will never be the same again. The future that I pictured for myself has been taken away with one selfish, unforgivable act. "My mam was my best friend, someone I went to for everything and anything. Who do I go to now? Who will be there to help me on my wedding day? Who will be there if I decide to have my own children? Who will give me advice only a mother can give? That's all been ripped away from it's two years on and we all still feel broken. "There will always be someone missing at Christmas, birthdays, and just our everyday lives. My mam should still be here with us." Mr Bradford was unable to attend court in person due to a recent heart operation. Instead it was read by the family's liaison officer, who stated: "[That evening] she put on her bright pink running top, her pink baseball cap and the rest of her gear and asked me to give her a lift to Dowlais to drop her off so that she could run back home as she often did. "On the way she wanted to call in to see her mam and dad, and I remember her mam commenting on how brightly dressed she was and said she should have put her sunglasses on. Cath lit up the room with her beautiful smile and said: 'well I'm never going to get ran over dressed like this am I!' "Those words will stay with me for the rest of my life. We didn't stay long, probably 15 minutes or so. She said her goodbyes and I drove her up to Dowlais high street, to drop her off. "Before she opened the door she said: 'give me a kiss,' which I did, and as she got out of the car, she told me to put the oven on 30 minutes after I get back home so she could prepare our tea when she gets back. "As I pulled away, I glanced in the mirror and saw her walking off down the pavement. I had no idea that this would be the last time I would ever see her. "After giving the police officers Cath's description, they told us she had been killed by a car that had mounted the pavement. Meg broke down and I just stood there, numb, it just didn't seem real. "As I stood there, a private ambulance pulled up and they allowed it through to pick up her body. It was unbelievably traumatic." He added: "We had the most amazing, happy life together, we did almost everything together and would be off on our adventures in our little motorhome as often as we could. She was not just my wife; she was my best friend. My soulmate." Addressing Rickwood, he said: "You killed her in such a violent, horrific way inflicting such terrible injuries on her that she had no chance of have changed me. I will never be the same person that I was, I do not see the world the same anymore." Ms Davies told the court of her daughter: "[On September 19, 2022] Catherine and Allan called at our house and we had a chat for a while. "She was wearing a pink top, a colour she loved to wear. Time went by and she said: 'I am going for a run Mam', so I went to the front door to wave them off. "I can't tell you how long it was, but the front door opened, it was Helen, her sister, coming in crying her eyes out, saying: 'Mam I've got a terrible thing to tell you. Catherine was hit on the pavement by a speeding driver and she's dead.' "We just couldn't believe what she was saying to us, then the penny dropped and our lives fell apart. "Catherine wasn't coming home ever again. We miss her, there's not a day or night without thinking about her. She loved life, from school friends to her working days, she had time for everyone with a smile. She was a person who loved people. "Catherine, I talk to your photograph everyday, even if it's just to say 'hi'. We miss you so much." Dressed in his military uniform, Mr James told the court: "Where do I start when it comes to describing the unnecessary reckless death of my mother? I refrain from the word 'loss', as it implies that I have lost something. "My mother was 'taken' - not only from me but also my sister Megan and stepfather Allan and the whole wider family and friends that loved her. "Old age, diseases or long term illness, you can plan and prepare yourselves for the inevitable, both in body and mind. Nothing can prepare you mentally or physically for your innocent mother to be killed so violently in a place where it should never have occurred." Mrs Bradford's sister addressed Rickwood, saying: "I want you to know the absolute devastation you caused us that day. The day you chose to get in that car, with no insurance and fake number plate and drive so fast and so reckless that you hit our Catherine, who wa running on the pavement, doing what she loved to do, killing her almost instantly. "Driving to Tredegar that evening, an ambulance and two first responder cars came flying past us. I turned to my partner and said to him: 'Oh god, that's something really serious.' "Little did I know that a few hours later, my niece Meg would be phoning me in a terrible state, telling me that her mother had been killed, those paramedics were going to Catherine." She added: "While you have gone on to create a life and prepare for a future, you have robbed us all of a future with Catherine - A daughter, mother, wife, sister, grandmother, auntie and friend to so so many. I hope you have the time to reflect on what you have done to us with your selfish, irresponsible actions and never put another family through this trauma. You destroyed us as a family that day and for that we will never forgive you." Concluding the prosecution case Ms Wilks told the court that Rickwood - who attended court on Monday wearing a grey suit and carrying a large black sports bag - is of previous clean character, but did have three points of his driving licence for speeding in a 30 mph zone in 2021. He pleaded guilty to dangerous driving in May, avoiding a trial, and prior to that pleaded guilty to driving without insurance and using a fraudulent replacement trade plate. Defending Rickwood, Andrew Taylor, said: "Nobody could fail to be moved by the tributes and the words used today." He called the case "harrowing" and said it should serve as a warning to everybody before they get in front of the wheel. He described his client as a "dedicated father" who has been left "traumatised by his own auctions" and shows "genuine remorse". Mr Taylor described Rickwood's actions that day as "stupid" and said he would "never, ever forget it". He said Rickwood resigned from his role at the Ford dealership following the incident and took up a job in construction. He pointed out that the delay in proceedings being heard was not solely the fault of Rickwood, noting that the case had taken "two years" to be heard at Magistrates' Court. Sentencing Rickwood Judge Shomon Khan said there is no sentence he could pass that would make up for the loss and trauma experienced by Mrs Bradford's family and friends. Addressing Rickwood, he said: "Your driving fell well below that required standard [of safe driving]. You accept that you drove the vehicle dangerously. The sad fact is you shouldn't have been driving it at all. You weren't insured due to the lack of MOT." He sentenced Rickwood to five years and five months in prison. Rickwood was also disqualified from driving for seven years and eight months, and he will have to take an extended re-test if he wishes to drive after that point.
