M4 crash: Driver admits causing deaths of two children

A man has admitted causing the deaths of two children in a crash on the M4 motorway.

Gracie-Ann Lucas, aged four, and her brother Jayden-Lee, three, died following the crash on 5 February.

Martin Newman, 41 of Croeserw, Neath Port Talbot, appeared in court on Monday.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of causing their deaths by dangerous driving.

He also pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving to another passenger in the car, the children's mother Rhiannon Lucas.

The family had been returning from a birthday party on 5 February when the car and a Ford Transit van crashed at about 13:45 GMT.

The children, from Tredegar, Blaenau Gwent, were taken to the intensive care unit of University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.

Ms Lucas and the children's father, who has not been named, were also taken to hospital.

Gracie-Ann suffered a cardiac arrest due to the severity of her injuries and died the following day. Jayden died on 11 February.

Newman spoke only to confirm his identity and enter his guilty pleas during a brief hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday.

The crash happened on the westbound carriageway between junctions 28 and 29, prompting a huge emergency services response and causing the route to be closed for about seven hours.

In a tribute to Jayden-Lee, his cousin, Jamie Lucas, 19, said: "He was wonderful, creative and a kind soul. Turned the grey skies blue."

In a previous tribute to Gracie-Ann, he said: "She was so young. She had a bright future ahead of her. She was such a wonderful child."

He added: "She was very smart, she was very creative. She had a really great imagination as well. She was just fantastic to be around."

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for the siblings' funeral has raised more than £14,700.

Newman was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on 8 April.