Van driver, 42, ‘blamed his one-year-old son for using his phone’ before crash that killed policewoman

A VAN driver accused of killing a cop while on his mobile phone blamed his one-year-old son for using the device before the fatal crash, a court heard.

Simon Draper, 42, is accused of being on WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Instagram before crashing into cyclist Sgt Lynwen Thomas, 37.

Draper says he passed the phone to his 13-month-old son Ted in the back of his Ford Transit and the infant was on an app, Swansea Crown Court heard.

But a paediatrician told the jury it would “not be possible” for a 13-month-old child to access an app because they don’t have the manual dexterity.

Super-fit Sgt Thomas was cycling on the A40 near Carmarthen, West Wales, when she was hit by Draper’s white Ford Transit in February 2021.

Prosecutor Carina Hughes said: “Draper was actively using his mobile phone - the standard of his driving fell far below what is expected of a competent and careful driver.

“Lynwen Thomas was killed outright at the scene of the accident - she paid the ultimate price.”

In a police interview, Draper said he passed the phone to his son Ted to "sooth him" and did not see the cyclist because he looked back at his son for a split second.

Dr Mohammed Rahman, a paediatrician for 30 years, told the jury a 13-month-old child cannot access apps on a mobile phone due to a lack of manual dexterity.

He said: “He would not have the mental ability to specifically look for applications and launch them either intentionally or unintentionally.”

Swansea Crown Court was shown dash-cam footage with the moment of impact with Sgt Thomas edited out.

Father-of-two Draper, of St Clears, Carmarthen, admits causing death by careless driving but denies causing death by dangerous driving.

The trial continues.