"Unlicensed Mechanic Confesses to Falsely Passing MOT for Car Involved in Fatal Crash That Claimed Three Young Lives"

A ROGUE mechanic has admitted wrongly passing the MOT of a car that killed three young people in a crash.

Rafel Jeanne, who was at the time, and passengers Darcy Ross and Eve Smith, both 21, all died in the horror in St Mellons, .

Rafel Jeanne, 24, was driving the car at the time of the crash Credit: WNS Eve Smith, 21, was one of three who died in the horror smash in Cardiff in 2023 Credit: WNS

Two further passengers, Sophie Russon, 20, and Shane Loughlin, 32, were injured but survived.

The five friends were discovered around 46 hours after the Tiguan they were travelling in left the road and smashed into trees on a roundabout.

Neil Lewis has now admitted fraud by false representation after passing the car’s MOT – despite knowing it should have failed its safety inspection.

Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard the Volkswagen had previously been involved in a crash in Scotland in 2021.

It suffered damage to its nearside wing, the airbags had deployed, and the airbag and seatbelt warning lights were on.

But it was sold to a salvage company in Cardiff – and no work was carried out on the vehicle before it was sold at auction to a friend of Rafel Jeanne.

Darcy Ross, 21, was also killed in the crash Credit: Media Wales The friends were not discovered for two days Credit: PA

The Volkswagen failed an MOT on February 9, 2023, as there was an issue with the seatbelts.

Lewis subsequently conducted a re-test and passed the Volkswagen with some advisories.

Officers found messages on Lewis’ phone to the owner of the car saying: “You’ve got to sort the seatbelt and the airbag light.

“I’ve passed the car though.”

The car had safety defects but was still given a pass on the MOT Credit: WNS Darcy was among the three killed Credit: WNS

Prosecutor Francesca Parry said the seatbelts in the car had not been replaced since the car crash in Scotland.

She told the court that Lewis had authorised for the car to pass the MOT despite knowing about the issues.

Lewis, 47, will be sentenced on August 19.

The horror unfolded on March 4, 2023, as the friends made their way back from the night out.

A major hunt for the group was sparked after they were reported missing but it took two days to find the wreckage.

The car is understood to have left the road on a slip road on the A48 as it approached a roundabout.

Driver Rafel was the son of ex- and player Leon Jeanne.

A court previously heard they had been drinking alcohol and inhaling laughing gas prior to the crash.

Six police officers were charged with misconduct allegations in connection with the investigation but two have been cleared following an internal hearing.