Man, 47, charged with fraud over car MOT after fatal crash

A 47-year-old man has been charged with fraud relating to the car involved in a crash which killed three people.

Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, died after their car crashed into woodland in St Mellons in March 2023, and they lay undiscovered for two days. Two others were seriously injured.

More than three years later, Neil Lewis from Ely, Cardiff, has been charged with fraud by false representation.

South Wales Police said the offence related to an MOT for the vehicle found in woodlands at St Mellons, off the A48 near Cardiff, and had been identified by officers investigating the crash.

Lewis will appear at Cardiff Magistrates Court on 21 July.

The five people travelling in the white Volkswagen Tiguan - Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, Darcy Ross, 21, Rafel Jeanne, 24, and Shane Loughlin, 32 - were last seen at about 02:00 GMT on 4 March 2023 after they went missing on a night out.

The families of the three young women had all reported them missing on the evening of 4 March, with Gwent Police receiving the first missing persons report in relation to the group at about 19:30.

Family and friends of the five made repeated appeals to find the missing group over the course of the weekend, with the mother of one of the girls saying she had been told to stop contacting police for updates.

They were eventually found just after midnight on 6 March in the St Mellons area of the city. The white Volkswagen Tiguan had crashed deep in undergrowth near a roundabout, and they were not found for 46 hours.

Ms Smith, Mr Jeanne, who was driving, and Ms Ross, died while Ms Russon and Mr Loughlin were critically injured and taken to hospital.

In November 2025, the IOPC said four Gwent Police officers would face gross misconduct hearings.

Family members of those involved have previously expressed their upset and frustration over delays in getting answers about what happened that night.