Caerphilly man who ran over and killed step sister jailed

A Caerphilly man who ran over and killed his step sister, while racing in his fathers car, has been jailed for seven years.

Aaron Bridgeman, 35, had been racing a friend on a motorcycle when Claire Franklin fell from the back of the bike and was hit.
Bridgeman was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving earlier this month.

Newport Crown Court heard he had been "driving at grossly excessive speed".

The court was told Bridgeman had never held a driving licence and how the weather on the day of the incident - 23 December 2013 - "was atrocious", with weather warnings being issued by the Met Office.Bridgeman and his friend Jason Szalkowski, who had previously been disqualified from driving, decided to race on the narrow Pandy Lane, in Bedwas, the court heard.

He was driving his father's Peugeot while Mr Szalkowski was riding a Suzuki motorcycle with Ms Franklin as a pillion passenger.

After half a mile of racing, both Mr Szalkowski and Ms Franklin came off the motorcycle, and Bridgeman, who was just half a second behind, drove into her.

A farmer, who was also using the road and witnessed the race, was unable to stop and also drove into Ms Franklin.