Mechanic Receives Community Order for Falsifying MOT Before Fatal Crash

A mechanic has been sentenced to a community order after falsifying a Motorpoint Test (MOT) for a vehicle that was later involved in a fatal crash. The car had previously been involved in a crash in Scotland and was sold at auction to a friend of the driver, Rafel Jeanne.

During an MOT carried out on February 9, 2023, the car failed due to a warning light indicating a fault with the seatbelt, airbag, or both. The mileage was recorded at approximately 98,000. Two weeks later, the mechanic, Neil Lewis, retested the vehicle. He later told police that the seatbelt and warning light were off, and the rear seatbelt was working, leading him to pass the car with advisories.

Following the retest, Lewis sent a text message stating, "Car is done. It's 560 you have to sort the seatbelt and the airbag light. I've passed the car though." However, the court heard that the seatbelts had not been replaced and were clearly defective.

Prosecutor Abigail Jackson indicated she was not asking for the fatal crash to be treated as an aggravating factor to the offense. Lewis's defense solicitor noted that Lewis had been in the motor industry for 30 years without prior criticism. He described Lewis's decision to pass the MOT as "baffling" and unclear why he disregarded professional standards.

Judge Charlotte Murphy acknowledged that determining the harm levels was not straightforward, but she considered the "wider impact" of Lewis's actions. She stated his conduct represented a "dereliction of his duty" as an MOT tester, but accepted it was a "one-off offence" not motivated by financial gain. Lewis was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and pay a £185 court surcharge and £114 in costs.

The crash occurred more than three years after the incident involving five individuals: Sophie Russon, Smith, Ross, Jeanne, and Shane Loughlin, 32. They were last seen around 2:00 GMT on March 4, 2023, after going missing on a night out. The first missing persons report for the group was received by Gwent Police on the evening of March 4.

Family and friends made repeated appeals to find the missing group over the weekend. The car was eventually discovered crashed deep within undergrowth near a roundabout in the St Mellons area of Cardiff, 46 hours after they were last seen. Smith, Jeanne, and Ross died in the crash, while Russon and Loughlin sustained critical injuries and were hospitalized.

In November 2025, the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) announced that four Gwent Police officers would face gross misconduct hearings. Family members of those involved had previously expressed frustration over delays in obtaining answers regarding the events of that night.