Drink-Driver Ceiron Cook Jailed for Leaving Fiancée to Die in Car Wreck

A drink-driver who left his fiancée for dead in the crash wreckage of his car has been sentenced to four years in jail.

Ceiron Cook, 36, of Merthyr Tydfil, pleaded guilty to causing the death of Lynsey Popp, 28, by careless driving while he was over the alcohol limit.

Cook ran home and left the mother-of-two in the passenger seat of his car after he drove into a tree near Merthyr Tydfil. Popp was found by passing motorists.

Rachel Knight, prosecuting, told Merthyr Crown Court: "The car smashed into a tree but instead of calling emergency services Cook ran off, leaving her dead or dying.

"It was not until sometime later that the crashed car was discovered by two passersby who raised the alarm.

"They noticed the car was cold and that there was nobody in the driver's seat but to their horror they saw there was a passenger."

The court heard how Cook had appeared in court 20 times to answer 35 motoring offences.

On the night of the fatal accident, he was found to have had 124mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. The legal limit is 80mg. He had also smoked cannabis that night.

Lucy Crowther, defending, said: "The harsh reality is that he does not care how long he receives in prison because as far as he is concerned he will never be able to forgive himself.

"This was somebody who he loved more than anyone else in the world and he has killed her."

Cook and Popp had been together for 10 months before the accident.

Judge Richard Twomlow said: "It would seem that Lynsey died instantly. No words I can say or sentence I can pass can alleviate the loss and distress felt by her family."

Popp's parents Colin and Helen said after sentencing: "Lynsey was always happy, always smiling. She had such a bubbly personality.

"Nothing at all bothered her. If anything happened she would laugh, get up, dust herself off and get on with it. She was very independent.

"We accept that Ceiron Cook is remorseful. He will have to get up every day and know that he has killed someone. But four years for a life does not fit the crime.

"We could have forgiven him if he had not left her or had called an ambulance."