Witnesses described seeing Levi Edwards and Morgan Sansom “driving like idiots” shortly before Edwards lost control of his red BMW and collided with a car being driven by 84-year-old Shirley Hope on the afternoon of December 20, 2019.

As Mrs Hope lay dying at the scene of the collision on Rhigos Road, Hirwaun, Sansom drove off in his white BMW, briefly returning and leaving again before emergency services arrived.

Edwards was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

He told arresting officers: “So I think I’ve come round the corner. I’ve slid, my wheel has hit the kerb. My back end has come out, and she’s hit me side on. I think my back end has come out first.”

Sansom was later arrested at his home in Hirwaun, on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and failing to stop and report following a collision. He told arresting officers: “I did turn around and come back.”

In interview he told officers he returned to the scene of the collision where he alleges he was told that Mrs Hope was still alive so he returned home.

Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard, however, that prior to doing so and while others at the scene were trying to tend to the victim, callous Sansom took a photograph of the destruction, which he later posted to Snapchat with the caption ’Bad crash’.

At an earlier hearing on October 8 this year, both Edwards, 27, and Sansom, 23, pleaded guilty to causing death by dangerous driving.

Edwards was jailed for six years, while Sansom was jailed for six years and three months. Both were also disqualified from driving; Edwards for six years and Sansom for six years, one month.