Heartbreak turns to anger for Aimee Coombes as the driver involved in the tragic crash that took her sister Sophie Brimble’s life is back on the roads. Back in 2017, Sophie, just 20, lost her life when her boyfriend, Jay Bayliss, crashed while racing at speeds of 70mph in Brynmawr. Though deemed unfit to stand trial due to injuries from the crash, Bayliss has since regained his driving licence, leaving courts and police with tied hands.
Aimee, living near Crickhowell, is bewildered and frustrated as to why someone unfit to stand trial can legally drive. “They should take the licence off him before he hurts someone else,” she pleads, expressing disbelief at the system allowing Bayliss to remain on the road.
After a recent court session, Bayliss was again declared unfit for trial, meaning no driving ban could be imposed. This came as a shock to Aimee, who had hoped the proceedings would bring some semblance of justice. Despite being ruled partly responsible for Sophie’s death, Bayliss faced an absolute discharge — no further punishment.
A jury previously found Bayliss jointly responsible for the fatal crash. He’d been racing another vehicle and lost control, crashing into a lamp post. Sophie, a front-seat passenger, died at the scene.
Aimee finds it hard to reconcile why the standards of being fit to drive seem less stringent than those to stand trial. Her family’s heartache remains raw, compounded by the sight of Bayliss driving around their community, a constant reminder of their devastating loss.
Aimee and her family have chosen to speak out now, hoping the DVLA will reconsider the decision to allow Bayliss’s return to the wheel. “It feels like he’s got away with it,” Aimee shares, as the family continues to grapple with their loss and the apparent injustice of the situation.