Man who killed cyclist had failed his driving test weeks earlier – live court updates

A driver being sentenced for causing the death of a cyclist after a crash in Cardiff had failed his test just weeks before the incident, a court has heard. Brad Craven was out cycling with his brother on their routine morning ride when his bike was in a head-on collision with a car in the Grangetown area of the city.

The 72-year-old, from Roath, was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, but never regained consciousness and died from his injuries on Friday, June 20. The collision occurred at around 8.40am on Saturday, May 17, on Dunleavy Drive, Grangetown.

Teddy Picton, 20, of Cog Road, Sully, Vale of Glamorgan, has pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving and is being sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court.

During the sentencing hearing on Wednesday, the court heard the defendant was seen drinking the night before the crash and was on his way to pick up his work laptop from Grangetown on the morning of Saturday, May 17.

The court was told by the prosecution that the car Picton was driving, a Fiat 500, belonged to a female passenger but he was behind the wheel because of the woman’s level of intoxication.

Dan Jones, prosecuting, said the defendant only had a provisional driving licence, having failed his driving test a few weeks earlier, so he did not have a licence or insurance.

At the time of Mr Craven’s death, his family said: “He was a confident and experienced cyclist and was with his brother on their usual morning cycle when he suffered fatal injuries and did not regain consciousness following a head-on collision.

“Brad, a retired social worker at Llandough Hospital, will be remembered by all, as a very thoughtful and caring man who always put the welfare of others before his own.”

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