Simon Draper Trial Day 3: Accused takes to the stand

That was the incredible claim made by prosecution counsel Carina Hughes in the trial of Simon Draper which entered its third day at Swansea Civic Centre today, October 19.

Today Draper, of Meidrim Road, St Clears, took to the stand and in doing so was subject to some extraordinary exchanges with Ms Hughes.

Draper, 42, is accused of causing death by dangerous driving after Dyfed-Powys police officer Lynwen Thomas was tragically killed on the A40 at Bancyfelin when Draper’s van hit her while she was out on her bike in February 2021.

Prosecuting lawyer Carina Hughes pushed for answers when Draper took to the stand in exchanges which included;

Hughes: “You are making it up as you go along and you are not telling the truth.”

Draper: “No.”

Hughes: “You were on your mobile phone.”

Draper: “No.”

Hughes claimed Draper was using his 13-month-old son Ted, who was sitting directly behind Draper on the fateful night, to shift blame, with Draper saying the incident happened when he turned round to make sure his son was not crying and in a split second hit Ms Thomas, who died at the scene.

In asking Draper about his phone and its use Ms Hughes said: “This is one of the most significant journeys you have ever undertaken, a journey you have recalled over and over in your head, and you cannot recall if you had your phone in the phone holder.”

Draper, a former soldier in the First battalion of Royal Welsh Fusiliers who served in Northern Ireland and Kenya, said he will never forget what happened that evening.

Welling up and in a croaky voice, Draper said: “I will never forgive myself. It is not just me that was affected it was my kids. Everybody has suffered because of what happened.”

In extraordinary testimony Draper admitted to moving both Thomas’ bicycle and Thomas herself away from the road saying he would have done anything to protect her from further harm.

Former Dyfed Powys Police officer Lynwen Thomas was described by her partner of having a 'thirst for life'. Photo CPS (Image: CPS)

Lynwen's bicycle was moved by Draper to the side of the road with the mangled rear tyre found 50 metres away. Photo CPS (Image: CPS)

On the night in question Draper, a carpenter, had been in Aberporth finishing off a job. He left early and drove to Carmarthen to pick up his girls from school.

He took the girls back to his house and went for a walk with them, then took them to their mothers. It was on the way back home from dropping his kids off that Draper’s van collided with Ms Thomas.

Shortly after trying to call his sister Kelly – a police officer – Draper said he handed the phone to his son, who he referred to as ‘tornedo Ted’, sitting directly behind him.

Draper described how it all happened in a flash and he had never seen a cyclist on that part of the carriageway before.

“I thought I had hit a moped or something small like a scooter because the impact barely changed the direction of my van,” said Draper.

“I brought the van to a stop where I thought was best, jumped out and thought where is the motorbike, but then I noticed something further up the road and saw it was Ms Thomas.”

In a written statement given to police around the time of the incident, Draper said: “I wish to offer my sincere condolences to Ms Thomas and her family.

“I accept I was driving the van when the incident occurred. There is no way I can possibly make amends but I would like them to know I am deeply sorry for what has happened.”

Draper said the impact barely changed the direction of his van. Picture CPS (Image: CPS)

The incident happened on the A40 near Bancyfelin last year. Photo CPS (Image: Google Maps)

Draper’s defence counsel brought in witnesses and read statements about the driving conditions on the evening of Ms Thomas’ death, with one of the witnesses, who was driving home from Morrison’s at the time, saying to her husband, “F*** s*** what the f*** is that person doing out on the bike at this time of night, you think there would be more so you can see them.”

The defence’s case continues tomorrow with the trial entering the fourth of a five-day estimate at Swansea Civic Centre.

• Dyfed-Powys police officer killed in fatal crash on A40 had 'thirst for life'