Sandfields man jailed for running over 85-year-old former council leader
Sentencing follows fatal collision in Port Talbot
A Sandfields man has been sentenced to four years in prison after fatally running over an 85-year-old on Port Talbot’s Water Street while under the influence of drugs.
Zack Mason, 22, knocked down Thomas Crowley, known as Noel, as Crowley crossed the road on 7th December 2024.
Crowley, a former Neath Port Talbot Council leader, succumbed to his injuries in hospital three days later.
Mason was arrested at the scene and was found to be under the influence of cannabis.
He tested 2.3 microgrammes of Delta-9-Tetrahydrocannabinnol per litre of blood, which is above the legal limit.
He pleaded guilty to causing death by due care while over the prescribed limit and driving while unlicensed and uninsured.
Mason’s provisional licence had been revoked in 2022 after he was previously caught driving without insurance.
Aside from the four-year prison term, Mason was banned from driving for seven years and is required to pass an extended driving test before being eligible for a licence.
PC Luis Tobenas highlighted the impact of Mason's actions, stating that this choice had devastating consequences for Noel Crowley's family and the community.
Tobenas said, “Zack Mason took the decision to drive uninsured, without a licence and when he had recently consumed cannabis to a level exceeding the legal limit for driving. As a result, he cost Noel Crowley his life, and left his family and the wider community completely devastated.”
He added that the police's thoughts remain with Mr. Crowley’s family, hoping the verdict offers them some comfort.