Van driver, 42, ‘blamed his one-year-old son for using his phone’ before crash that killed policewoman

A VAN driver accused of killing a cop while on his mobile phone blamed his one-year-old son for using the device before the fatal crash, a court heard.

Simon Draper, 42, was on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram before crashing into cyclist Sgt Lynwen Thomas, 37, Swansea Crown Court heard.

WNS

Simon Draper claimed his 1-year-old son was on the phone before a fatal crash[/caption]

Athena

Sgt Lynwen Thomas, 37, died as a result of the horror incident[/caption]

Draper says he passed the phone to his 13-month-old son Ted in the back of his Ford Transit and the infant was on an app.

But a paediatrician told the jury it would “not be possible” for a 13-month-old child to access an app because they don’t have the manual dexterity.

Super-fit Sgt Thomas was cycling on the A40 near Carmarthen, West Wales, when she was hit by Draper’s white Ford Transit in February 2021.

Prosecutor Carina Hughes said: “Draper was actively using his mobile phone – the standard of his driving fell far below what is expected of a competent and careful driver.

“Lynwen Thomas was killed outright at the scene of the accident – she paid the ultimate price.”

In a police interview, Draper said he passed the phone to his son Ted to “sooth him” and did not see the cyclist because he looked back at his son for a split second.

Dr Mohammed Rahman, a paediatrician for 30 years, told the jury a 13-month-old child cannot access apps on a mobile phone due to a lack of manual dexterity.

He said: “He would not have the mental ability to specifically look for applications and launch them either intentionally or unintentionally.”

Swansea Crown Court was shown dash-cam footage with the moment of impact with Sgt Thomas edited out.

Father-of-two Draper, of St Clears, Carmarthen, admits causing death by careless driving but denies causing death by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.