Man given suspended term for careless driving causing couple's death

A man has been given a suspended jail sentence for causing the death of a couple through careless driving.

Alexander MacCallum, 28, from Pembrokeshire was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on both counts of death by careless driving, to run concurrently.

Katie Worrell and Adam Muskett were killed in the collision on the A477 between Llanddowror and Red Roses in Carmarthenshire in June 2024.

Adam's mother fought back tears as she read out her victim impact statement in a packed court room saying the loss of her son "feels like having my insides ripped out".

The couple's Ford Fiesta collided with a Jaguar XKR, driven by Alexander MacCallum, who pleaded guilty to two counts of death by careless driving at a previous hearing.

The court heard that the speed limit at the scene of the collision was 60mph and on the day there were adverse weather conditions with "heavy rain, wet roads, spray and cold weather".

Craig Jones, prosecuting, said the "loss of control was momentary" by MacCallum and although it cannot be said that the defendant exceeded the speed limit of the road on that day, it was "clearly in excess of what was appropriate".

He said there was "no suggestion" Adam Muskett's driving contributed to the crash.

Police officers at the scene found the Jaguar XKR with front and rear damage across the eastbound carriageway with the Ford Fiesta on its side beyond the westbound barrier also heavily damaged.

Martyn Hynes, defending, said MacCallum had expressed remorse for what had happened.

Although it came "nowhere near anything heard from the family", he said there was a full acceptance that he was "wholly responsible" for what happened.

He added there was evidence of "four other crashes" in the same area.

Adam Muskett, 27, who was driving the car, died at the scene.

His partner Katie Worrell, 25, was taken by air ambulance to hospital but also died.

Two other people in the Ford Fiesta, aged 27 and 33, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Helen Muskett, Adam's mother, fought back tears as she read out her victim impact statement, saying the couple were heading off on holiday together to celebrate Katie's birthday.

She said the couple "were both incredibly loved by so many people" and that "people sought out their company as they were both warm, kind and loving".

She added: "It feels like having my insides ripped out and what is left is extremely fragile".

"I have heaviness inside me," she said.

"I struggle to think about the future without Adam."

"He was incredibly loving" and had "a love that was pure and flawless".

At the end of her statement, she embraced her daughter, Hannah, who then also stood up to provide her statement to the court.

She had been living in Canada at the time of the crash, but moved back following her brother's death.

She said her fear of driving meant she no longer did, and that she had to take sick leave and left her teaching job in 2025.

"Life is unrecognisable. Adam was everything to me. He was my favourite person in the entire world," she said.

"This impact will never end."

A statement was read out on behalf of Katie's parents Karen Lanceley and Mark Worrell, saying "a beautiful woman disappeared and will only ever return in our memories".

"We all love her and miss her so much, our lives will never be the same."

Katie's brother Ryan Worrell added that "she made me feel so loved, her presence brought a smile to my face".

Judge Huw Rees said although he had not broken the speed limit that day, "the fact is your driving on that occasion was simply not appropriate for the prevailing road conditions".

"It may well [be] that this was an accident black spot which the highway authority need or needed to look at, but again you put your foot down when your vision was limited in horrendous driving conditions," Judge Rees said.

He added that his sentence also had to reflect MacCallum's "general excellent character" and guilty plea.

He said that the 28-year-old had no previous convictions and up until that point had a clean driving record.

He also said he believed he was genuinely remorseful.

MacCallum will also have to carry out 200 days of unpaid work, was disqualified from driving for 18 months and ordered to pay a victim surcharge.