Powys: Rebecca Steer crash driver 'fast and unsafe'

Stephen McHugh, of Artillery Road, Park Hall, denied murdering Miss Steer and causing Kyle Roberts grievous bodily harm in Oswestry last year.  

He admits her unlawful killing and causing Mr Roberts actual bodily harm but his plea has not been accepted by the Crown. 

On the fourth day of his trial at Stafford Crown Court, the court heard a statement from Martin Gumbley, who assisted McHugh in purchasing the Volvo car ‘used as a weapon’ on October 9 in Willow Street.  

The statement, read into record by junior prosecutor Ben Williams, said that Mr Gumbley joined McHugh and Alex Coulson, who was in the car during the fatal incident, on a trip to Abergele in North Wales on September 26. 

READ MORE: LIVE: Day Four of the Rebecca Steer murder trial

He said he witnessed the defendant buy the car with cash, helping to drive back the vehicle used to transport the trio to North Wales before Coulson took over.

The court was told that Mr Gumbley had only known McHugh for nine months and that he bought the car ‘from a proper seller and it was a Volvo which was automatic’.  

He added that McHugh –­ who the court has heard already did not have a licence – wanted one as he ‘struggled with manual’.

Mr Gumbley added that he has been in the Volvo on two occasions and McHugh was a ‘fast driver and I wouldn’t say he was safe’.  

He added that on October 8, he saw McHugh at Morda United with friends but did not see them or the incident while in Oswestry.

Meanwhile, compilations of CCTV footage tracing McHugh’s movements, including to Abergele at Ruabon Service Station, at Gledrid Service Station and around Oswestry, were shown. 

One video was shown with McHugh driving his Volvo – under Rory Curley’s name in one-day insurance – through Leg Street over speed bumps and through red lights on October 8.  

Other videos shown to the jury were of frequent journeys to and from the Unicorn pub, in Unicorn Road, with other associates, including Mr Coulson and Mr Curley.  

McHugh’s movements, including the altercation with Hayden Lloyd and Tom Jones, were also shown to the court, including the prosecution's assertion that the defendant ‘punted’ one of the males.  

The morning was adjourned with Detective Constable Simon Edwards on the stand to discuss the CCTV footage, with the moments around Miss Steer’s death to come in the afternoon.  

Ian Humphries, a civilian vehicle inspector with West Mercia Police, also testified to explain how an automatic gearbox works.  

The jury heard that a driver of an automatic car, such as McHugh and the Volvo, would have needed to used a ‘trigger’ to put the car back into drive from reverse.  

He also confirmed there were few defects, apart from lights, on the car.  

The trial continues.