DRAMATIC footage of when a 20-year-old “show-off” lost control of his car, hit a tree and overturned, was shown to a court today (June 21) before he was locked up for 26 months.

Luke Hodgson, a mechanic, of Newry Fields, Holyhead, admitted causing serious injury by dangerous driving to a woman passenger, then aged 18, in November 2020.

He was banned for four years and a month, with an extended re-test.

Prosecutor Simon Rogers told Caernarfon Crown Court that Hodgson’s Ford Fiesta and another car were driving towards Holyhead on South Stack Road.

Hodgson went too fast and dashcam footage from the car behind him recorded the crash.

Hodgson claimed to police: “I was only going about 30.”

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Passenger Casey Hughes had been in and out of consciousness and had a neck fracture, the court heard.

She told the judge that Hodgson had shown no remorse for the pain he’d caused her.

“He’s back out on the road in another car and driving around like nothing has happened,” she said.

Defence barrister Dafydd Roberts said Hodgson’s behaviour was out of character and he apologised through the lawyer for his actions and the injuries to Miss Hughes.

“He’s remorseful, notwithstanding the impression she has,” Mr Roberts insisted.

The defendant had been an inexperienced driver.

Judge Timothy Petts said Hodgson allegedly had a tendency to show-off when driving.

He ended up in front of a friend.

He picked up speed on a wet and narrow road at night and blocked the other car from overtaking.

Judge Petts said Hodgson lost control on a bend, slid across the road and hit a grass bank and tree and overturned.

“Although I don’t have an estimate of your speed you were asking your friends to say you were driving at 30mph and that wasn’t the case,” the judge told the defendant.

One woman passenger had minor injuries but much more serious was the impact on Miss Hughes.

The consequences of his driving were “sadly almost inevitable,” the judge added.