Latest news with #Naghi
Pembrokeshire Herald
4 days ago
- Pembrokeshire Herald
Fresh evidence delays trial of man accused of killing baby in Tenby car park
A 34-year-old motorist has appeared before Swansea Crown Court charged with killing baby Sophia Keleman in Tenby's multi-storey car park with the cocaine derivative benzoylecgonine in his system. Speaking to the court via a Romanian interpreter, Flaviu Naghi of Rondini Avenue, Luton, denied two charges of causing the child's death by careless driving whilst under the influence of drugs when he was brought before Judge Catherine Richards sitting at Swansea Crown Court. The Crown alleges that Sophie, who lived in the Leigh area of Manchester, was hit by a car on the ground floor of the multi-storey car park as it was being driven by Flaviu Naghi on January 2, 2025. The Crown further alleges that subsequent drug tests carried out following his arrest showed he had 236 mcg of benzoylecgonine in his system. The specified legal limit is 50. Baby Sophia was airlifted to the University Hospital of Wales following the incident, but she died the following day. This week Naghi's defence counsel, John Hipkin, requested an adjournment to seek expert advice concerning the condition of the car's handbrake which the defendant is accused of driving. The request follows fresh information suggesting that the handbrake had only been partially engaged by another individual prior to the incident. This, claims the defence, could be the reason for the car's subsequent movement. 'An expert may well be able to answer whether, if the handbrake was only partially engaged, the car would have been able to travel forward or not,' stated John Hipkin, KC. The defence request was granted by Judge Catherine Richards. Naghi's trial will now proceed on January 5, 2026. Naghi was released on conditional bail.
Western Telegraph
4 days ago
- Western Telegraph
Tenby baby car park death accused trial pushed back
Flaviu Naghi, 33, of Irvine Street in Leigh, is accused of causing the death of Sophia Kelemen in Tenby's multi-storey car park. Sophia was rushed to hospital after the incident on the afternoon of January 2, but she died of her injuries the following day. Naghi's trial was due to begin a Swansea Crown Court today, Monday, June 2. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police) However, his defence barrister, John Hipkin KC, asked for the trial to be adjourned. He said that fresh evidence had emerged only last Thursday to the extent that the handbrake had been applied on the vehicle. Because of this, he said, the defence would need to commission an independent expert report to examine the effect on the vehicle of the handbrake not being applied to its maximum. This adjournment was opposed by prosecutor Tom Crowther KC. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police) However, Judge Her Honour Catherine Richards KC allowed the adjournment. 'I am not prepared to say that an expert report is unnecessary,' she said. 'I am prepared t accept that if counsel require a report they should be given the opportunity to obtain that report. Jude Richards said that the delay was 'regrettable to say the least' but that the process must be 'beyond reproach'. The trial was adjourned until January 5 next year. (Image: Facebook) Before this an alternative second charge was put to Naghi; that on January 2 2025 he caused the death of Sophia Kelemen by driving a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or public place, namely the multi storey car park at Upper Park Road Tenby without due care and attention and at a time when he had in his body a specified controlled drug, namely benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, at a proportion in his blood of 236mg per litre, the specified limit is 50 microgrammes. Speaking though a Romanian interpreter, Naghi pleaded not guilty to the charge.
