Abergavenny man guilty of dangerous driving after triathlete killed in van crash

A man from Abergavenny has been found guilty of causing the death of a Welsh triathlon and Ironman star by dangerous driving.

Rebecca Comins, 52, died after she was “thrown into the air” when struck by the van driven by Vasile Barbu in June 2022.

A40

Barbu, 49, was found guilty at Cardiff Crown Court today (7 June). He was driving a white Vauxhall Movano van on the A40 near Raglan on Thursday 2 June when the crash happened.

Paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service attended and confirmed that Ms Comins had died at the scene.

Her family issued a statement after the verdict was issued. They said: “Beckie was a wonderful wife to Stephen and mum to George and Millie who will be dearly missed.

“Beckie was incredibly kind and an inspiration to so many. Her impact on the lives of people throughout the local and sporting community has become especially evident by the abundance of tributes and memories shared since her death.

“She loved her family, friends and sport and was always the first person to offer help and advice.

“We are so proud of what she achieved in her life.

“Our lives changed forever when we lost Beckie on 2nd June 2022.  The verdict will never bring Beckie back.

“No words can describe our pain knowing we will never see her laugh and smile again. We miss her so much and she will forever be in our hearts.

“We are grateful for the support from our friends and family over what have been a very difficult two years. And for support in the future as we continue to navigate life without Beckie.

“We’d like to thank emergency services and the general public who assisted on the day of the accident. Giving us peace of mind that she got the best care possible and nothing more could have been done.

“We’d also like to thank witnesses who not only helped on the day but have come forward and provided evidence to assist in the case over the last two years.

“Finally, we’d like to thank officers from Gwent Police and also the prosecution team for their hard work in the case and for the support they have given us throughout.”

Vasile Barbu will be sentenced at a later date.