A teenage girl has been held accountable after her reckless actions behind the wheel left her friend with permanent brain damage. The 17-year-old victim suffered a fractured skull and severe head injuries after slipping off the bonnet of a car driven by his friend, Chanelle Guest, in the Brecon High School car park on May 17.
According to court records, Guest, now 18, was driving a Renault Clio while her friend sat precariously on the vehicle’s bonnet. As she made a turn, the victim lost his balance, falling and striking his head on the pavement. CCTV footage captured the incident, revealing that the car did not belong to Guest, and she was uninsured at the time.
Emergency responders arrived to find the victim drenched in blood and unconscious. His father recounted the terrifying moment he arrived on scene: “He was covered in blood and lifeless in a police officer’s arms.” The victim was rushed to critical care, sustaining a fractured skull, brain bruising, and bleeding on the left side of his brain.
READ MORE: Royal Banana Dessert Loved by Queen Elizabeth Features Ingredient That May Aid Blood Pressure
READ MORE: Dramatic Photos Capture Thick Smoke Billowing Over M5 Motorway
Despite discharge from the hospital, complications arose shortly after when the victim displayed facial drooping and loss of eye function, prompting readmission. His father provided a moving victim statement describing the profound impact on his son’s life, highlighting struggles with memory, daily functioning, and mental health. He recalled, “It’s had a negative effect on his mental health… his mood has been affected by the brain injury, causing irrational behavior and deep depression.”
Guest pleaded guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving. At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Jenkins acknowledged the incident as tragic youthful recklessness, not criminal intent, while emphasizing the severe, lifelong consequences. Guest was sentenced to 21 months in a young offenders institution, suspended for 21 months, ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work, and handed a two-year driving ban.
In mitigation, her lawyer described her as a caring individual responsible for her autistic brother and deeply remorseful for the harm caused.
This case serves as a sobering reminder of how split-second decisions can result in devastating, long-lasting consequences.