Caerphilly: Chloe Hayman's mum forgives killer driver

A mother has said she forgives a driver who killed her teenage daughter while he was on drink and drugs.

Danielle O'Halloran turned to Keilan Roberts, 22, in court and said: "I do forgive you. I just want you to learn."

Her daughter Chloe Hayman, 17, of Tonypandy, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was a passenger in a car driven by Roberts.

Roberts, who took ketamine, cocaine and ecstasy and was over the drink-drive limit, was jailed at Cardiff Crown Court for three years and nine months.

Ms O'Halloran said in a victim impact statement her family's lives had changed forever.

She told the court: "Losing Chloe has brought so much loss and pain to my family."

Speaking after the hearing, Ms O'Halloran said that the sentence "feels like an insult" to her family.

"No family should ever have to experience what we have experienced," she said.

Chloe's stepmother, Alix Hayman, told the court Chloe's death had left her husband, Chloe's father Gavin, "broken".

Judge David Wynn Morgan told the court Chloe was "no statistic".

The judge told Roberts: "She was a real living person who would be alive today had you not taken the selfish, criminally foolish and intoxicated decision to put her in your car and drive."

Roberts, of Rhymney, Caerphilly county, pleaded guilty to one charge of causing death by careless driving while over the drink-drive limit, and three of causing death by careless driving while over the drug-drive limit.

Roberts was behind the wheel of a Skoda Octavia when the crash happened on 24 July, 2022, in Fochriw, Caerphilly county.

The car had worn tyres and the court heard it would have failed an MOT.

The court heard the two had met for the first time the previous evening at a Pontypridd nightclub. Roberts had argued with his girlfriend and offered to take Chloe home.

Roberts was also banned from driving for 10 years.