A DANGEROUS driver killed his best friend when they were involved in a horrific crash on the A41.

Kieran Lloyd was just 18 years old when, as a passenger in the car being driven by Kelvin Davies, he was killed in a head-on collision on the A41 Chester Road, by the Holm Oak Way junction in Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, just after 9pm on December 19, 2019.

Davies, 22, of Irvings Crescent, Saltney, had been driving a white Toyota Cresta 2.5l Turbo vehicle that night at speeds in excess of 70mph on the 40mph road, and lost control while accelerating past a queue of cars, hitting a VW van being driven by Edwin Vezza with his passenger Nichola Vezza alongside.

Appearing at Chester Crown Court on Monday, August 9, Davies – who had earlier pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving, and to causing serious injury by dangerous driving – was jailed for six years.

Prosecuting, Matthew Dunford said a number of witnesses that night had seen Davies driving at speed, overtaking cars while on the wrong side of the road, and revving his engine at traffic lights before accelerating hard, with the rear of the car struggling for grip.

One of the witnesses said they were in the traffic queue when they saw the Toyota, driven by Davies, overtaking cars at "70 to 80mph", braking for a set of red traffic lights, only to accelerate when they turned to green.

But then the car began to "fishtail" and "snake" across the road.

Davies tried to correct the slide, but overcorrected, and the car hit the oncoming VW van, driven by Mr Vezza, passenger side on.

The Toyota briefly launched into the air, while the VW van was turned around. A forensic investigator later concluded the Toyota had been travelling "between 61mph and 81mph" and the VW van between "30mph and 35mph" towards each other at the point of impact.

Mr Lloyd was killed instantly in the collision.

Mr Vezza was taken to hospital and was diagnosed with five broken ribs, as well as bruising and bleeding to the lungs. Mrs Vezza was treated for a 34cm by 10cam haematoma on her left side, by the stomach area, and their vehicle was written off in the collision.

Davies was treated for injuries described at one point as "life threatening", but he was said to have recovered, albeit he was now immunocompromised and had a brain injury.

The court heard he had no previous convictions or penalty points on his driving licence, and had been driving for three years.

Mr Lloyd's mother, who attended the sentencing hearing, had provided a victim impact statement which was read out in court.

In it, she described being in constant emotional pain at the loss of her son, who she had grown close to in the four years since her partner – and Mr Lloyd's father – had passed away.

She added her life felt like "a permanent nightmare" and could not understand why either of them were in that car that day.

She said she could not forgive Davies for taking her son's life.

The mother added there had been further upset caused when pictures of the crashed car were posted online.

Defending, Maria Masselis said the defendant had nothing to do with the publication of the photos, and that matter had been raised with the police, who had identified the person responsible.

Davies was "filled with genuine remorse" over what happened, which had resulted in the loss of his best friend, and had been left with a compromised immune system and a permanent brain injury.

Psychiatric reports had been submitted to the court amid concerns over Davies's fitness to plea, due to the brain injury, but he had pleaded guilty at the earliest available opportunity.

A positive character reference had been submitted from a family friend who had been a passenger of Davies when on a trip around Europe.

Davies had also surrendered his driving licence.

Sentencing, Judge Michael Leeming said it was a "prolonged, deliberate display of bad driving over distance and time", adding Davies had shown a "flagrant disregard" for other road users, treating the 40mph A41 as if it was a motorway.

He added Mr Lloyd's mother had attended court, had listened quietly and behaved "with the utmost dignity in very trying circumstances".

The judge said Kieran Lloyd was much loved and much missed, and the loss of a "precious son and friend" was down to the actions of Davies.

Davies was sentenced to six years for causing death by dangerous driving, with a 32-month concurrent sentence for causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

He was banned from driving for two years upon his release from prison, and would have to take an extended retest to get his licence back.