Woman who caused 'horrific' crash banned for six months

Jennifer O'nion, 29, veered onto the wrong side of the A470, near Machynlleth, before crashing into a Ford Focus being driven by Myfanwy Jones.

Ms Jones suffered a fractured jaw with bleeds to the brain, a broken jaw, a cut face and leg, a "severely" damaged eye and severed optical nerve in the crash.

O'nion's two children also suffered serious injuries in the crash which happened on November 1 last year.

O'nion, of Bryn y Gog, Machynlleth, admitted a charge of driving without due care and attention at Welshpool Magistrates Court yesterday.

In addition to the ban she was fined £240 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £24 victim surcharge.

Sentencing her, Mr John Vaughan, chairman of the bench, told O'nion: "You were the cause of a horrific accident which will forever be traumatic for both your family and someone else's."

Mrs Helen Hall, prosecuting, said: "There was a road traffic collision on the A470 between Commins Coch and Llanbrynmair, near Machynlleth.

"An Audi being driven by the defendant veered on to the wrong side of the road and was in collision with a Ford Focus being driven by Myfanwy Jones and a goods vehicle.

"This was a serious accident and Ms Jones was left with multiple serious injuries which resulted in her being taken to hospital in Stoke where she was kept in for six days due to her head injuries.

"She was then released home, but has since had to return to either Stoke or Shrewsbury Hospital on 19 occasions for treatment, including to her eye, which is still damaged."

Mrs Hall said in addition to the injuries caused to Ms Jones, O'nions two children were also injured, with her two-year-old daughter suffering a cut to her throat which has left scarring and her seven-year-old son who suffered a spinal injury.

O'nion, representing herself, said: "I am in shock and I was not aware of the injuries caused to Ms Jones until this hearing.

"I am still very shaken by the events of that day and will forever be reminded of it due to the injuries caused to my children.

"We all suffer nightmares about what has happened and what might have been."