Jack Hale, 19, from Simpsons Cross in Haverfordwest, had only passed his driving test three weeks before the crash on 12 August 2023. He was driving a blue Ford Fiesta carrying five passengers — three in the back and two sharing the front passenger seat, one sitting on the other’s lap — when he lost control on a bend approaching Newgale beach.
The car was travelling at 66mph in a 30mph zone when it flipped and rolled into a well-known campsite adjacent to the A487. Grainy CCTV footage shown in court captured the moment the vehicle somersaulted multiple times before landing on tents at around 10:48pm.
One tent contained a two-year-old child and another a baby asleep in a travel cot. Miraculously, neither child was injured.
The crash prompted a major emergency response, with multiple ambulances, fire crews and a search and rescue helicopter attending the scene. Nine people were injured, including four who were taken to hospital with serious injuries.
Campers Paul Warburton, Emma Lewis, and Daniel Staniforth were pinned beneath the vehicle. Bystanders managed to lift the car off them before emergency crews arrived. A doctor staying at the site provided immediate triage.
Oliver Copeland, a 17-year-old passenger in the car, suffered broken vertebrae and required surgery. Mr Warburton sustained a dislocated hip and fractured clavicle. Mr Staniforth suffered a fractured pelvis and ruptured bladder, while his partner Ms Lewis sustained third-degree burns to her shoulder.
In victim impact statements read to the court, Mr Warburton said the crash had affected “every aspect” of his life. Mr Staniforth said he could no longer work as a gardener and surf instructor. Ms Lewis described feeling her body “shutting down” as she lay trapped, and said she now suffers from PTSD, nightmares and flashbacks, and sleeps on a mattress in her baby son’s room.
Hale pleaded guilty to four counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court and was committed to Swansea Crown Court for sentencing.
On Friday (11 July), he was handed a 20-month custodial term in a young offender’s institution, suspended for 18 months. He was also banned from driving for two years, ordered to take an extended retest, and must complete 250 hours of unpaid work and 15 rehabilitation activity days.
His Honour Judge Huw Rees said Hale had driven in a “wholly inappropriate manner” and described the presence of five passengers — including one seated on another’s lap — as “inappropriate and even reckless”. He added: “You drove so fast in the circumstances that you lost control of your vehicle, causing it to hit the kerb, turn on its side, landing on a tent and travelling over many other tents. One of the tents contained a two-year-old and another a baby. Miraculously, and thankfully, neither child was harmed — but that’s not thanks to your driving. That was pure good fortune.”
The judge also criticised the delay in bringing the case to court, noting that Hale had shown “maturity beyond his age” and was “remorseful and contrite”. He said letters of support described Hale as a “well-regarded young man” with aspirations to join the Royal Navy as a mechanical engineer.
Dyfed Thomas, defending, said Hale had not driven since the incident and “wholeheartedly accepted” his actions were wrong. He added: “I doubt he will ever get in a car for the rest of his life without remembering what happened.”
Prosecutor Georgia Donohue told the court that Hale’s Fiesta had no mechanical faults and that CCTV analysis confirmed the vehicle was travelling at excessive speed. She said the car hit the kerb and flipped into the campsite, travelling over multiple tents before coming to rest.
Police Sergeant Sara John, of Dyfed-Powys Police, said: “This was a deeply traumatic incident for all the victims involved and continues to have a profound impact on them. Hopefully today’s sentence provides an element of closure to those affected and serves as a reminder of the consequences of dangerous driving.”
The crash raised wider questions about road safety and driver behaviour on Welsh roads. Campaigners have called for improved signage and speed enforcement measures along stretches of the A487, which has seen multiple incidents in recent years.
For more coverage on road safety and court proceedings, explore our Crime and Motoring sections.
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