Killed by a show-off: Four girls died as L-test driver lost control

Craig Ramshaw, 18, lost control on an icy mountain road while the four best friends were squeezed on to the back seat of his car.

Louise Jones and Kayleigh Parry, both 16, and Katie Roberts and Danielle Caswell, both 15, were thrown from the Vauxhall Corsa as it plunged down the mountainside in the dark.

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None of the girls was wearing a seat belt and their bodies were found up to 50ft from the wreckage.

Ramshaw and his male front-seat passenger, who were both wearing seatbelts, survived the accident with minor injuries.

Yesterday, Ramshaw went on trial accused of causing death by dangerous driving.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that he and his friend picked up the girls from their homes during last year's autumn half-term holiday and headed for the B4560 near Ebbw Vale, one of the highest roads in Wales.

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The four friends, all pupils at Glyncoed High School in Ebbw Vale, had been singing along to music moments before the crash, said prosecutor Martyn Kelly.

He added: "Ramshaw had been driving around just three days after passing his driving test. He was driving for no particular purpose, demonstrating his new-found licence and showing off."

He continued: "Ramshaw was going at some considerable speed when it left the road, bouncing over and over on the mountainside - killing the four young girls who were ejected from the car.

"The car vaulted a ditch and flipped over a number of times."

One of the youths used his mobile phone to call for help but when emergency services arrived the four girls were dead.

A relative of one of the victims said at the time of the crash: "These girls were A-grade students with their whole lives in front of them. People can be too quick to judge, saying it was teenagers messing about.

"But these kids weren't like that - they were sensible, from good homes and nice families."

A friend added: "They were always together in school and after lessons. They were inseparable."

Ramshaw, who was 17 of the time of the tragedy, denies the charges and claims he was driving at 40mph at the time of the crash.

The trial continues.