TWO teenagers have been banned from driving for “racing” on the A470 near Carno, a court heard on Tuesday.

Dashcam footage played to magistrates showed two “dangerous” manoeuvres.

The chair of the bench, Judith Baker, said: “Viewing that dashcam was the most uncomfortable few minutes for everyone in the court today; including you both.”

It was said in defence of the 19-year-olds that they were not racing, but that one was following the other as he did not know his way back from Barmouth.

County Times:

Dashcam footage of teenagers overtaking on the A470 in Carno. Footage courtesy of Crown Prosecution Service

William Lawrence David Simister, of Bryn Teg, Arddleen, Llanymynech, and Jordan Shaw, of Ceiriog, Treowen, Newtown, both admitted dangerous driving when they appeared before Welshpool Magistrates’ Court.

Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said that at 5.45pm on Saturday, May 4, the pair were seen by the dashcam driver. Mr Davies said that the drivers had “narrowly missed a head-on collision”, that a driver had to move her vehicle in line with a hedge, and that on a “series of bends” Shaw overtook Simister on solid white lines.

The court heard that the men both had a female passenger in their car and that they were on their way back from Barmouth.

Mr Davies said that when interviewed by police, Simister agreed that they were both trying to overtake each other and that he could describe what they were doing as racing. Simister said: “It was very dangerous to be fair.”

County Times:

However, Shaw said in his police interview that he was following Simister as he didn’t know his way back from Barmouth. He said he got “scared” and “worried” that he didn’t know where he was.

“I was just being stupid. I thought I was being clever. I’m very sorry for my actions,” he said in interview.

Before Paul Inns, for Simister and Shaw, gave his defence to the court, the dashcam footage was shown to magistrates.

Mr Inns then said: “The footage speaks for itself.”

However, he said the 19-year-olds were “fully co-operative with the police”. He said that they were remorseful and that they realised the error of their ways.

Mr Davies said that it would be fair not to describe the incident as racing, but as “in convoy looking to follow Mr Simister”. The defence added that although the driving was “dangerous”, “excessive speed” was not used. He said it was “very poor decision making”.

Magistrates heard that Shaw has been driving for months, and that Simister has been driving for 14 months.

Simister and Shaw were both given a 12-month community order, consisting of 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 unpaid work hours. They were both banned from driving for 18 months, and once the ban is over, they will have to pass an extended driving test. Simister and Shaw were also told to pay £85 in court costs and £85 in victim surcharge.