Van driver Martin Newman who killed two children in M4 crash to have prison sentence reviewed

A van driver who caused the deaths of two children after getting behind the wheel following a drink and drugs binge is to have his prison sentence reviewed.

Martin Newman, 41, crashed into a car carrying Jayden-Lee Lucas, three, and his sister Gracie-Ann, four, on the M4 near Newport in February.

He admitted causing the deaths of the children by dangerous driving, and further admitted seriously injuring their mother, Rhiannon Lucas.

At the time, a court heard Newman had been more than twice over the drink-driving limit after going out with colleagues the night before the crash.

He had also drunk 10 cans of Strongbow and taken cocaine once he returned to his hotel room.

Newman was sentenced to nine years and four months in prison, but the law dictates he will only be expected to serve half the term in custody.

The sentence was reduced by a third because he had entered a guilty plea at the first available opportunity.

The family were on their way back from a birthday party on the afternoon on February 5 when they pulled over on the hard shoulder to allow little Gracie-Ann to go to the toilet.

Newman had been travelling home from Leicester on the M4 westbound in his white Ford Transit van when he veered into the hard shoulder at around 1.45pm, hitting the family’s stationary red Ford Fiesta.

The court heard Newman crashed into the rear of the car, where the children were sat, at 57mph, causing them “catastrophic brain injuries”.

Gracie-Ann died the day after the crash, while Jayden-Lee died five days later.

Newman had been seen to be driving erratically prior to the collision, and was witnessed by other motorists talking on his phone.

Judge Daniel Williams said Newman’s offending was the “most serious level of dangerous driving” but said he was unable to impose a higher sentence than the law allowed.

The family reacted at the time by saying they were "devastated" by the sentence.

The Attorney General's Office has confirmed that an appeal to Newman's sentence has been received under the 'Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme'.

Under this scheme, members of the public can ask the Attorney General’s Office to examine sentences handed down by crown courts in England and Wales within 28 days of sentencing and decide whether to refer the case to the Court of Appeal to consider.

An AGO spokesperson said: “We have received a request for this sentence to be considered under the Unduly Lenient Sentence (ULS) scheme. The Law Officers have 28 days from sentencing to consider the case and make a decision.”

Today the children's mother, Rhiannon, 25, welcomed the review into Newman's sentence and vowed she would "never give up fighting for justice".

She added: "He has killed two children. He should be serving a life sentence for what he has done, although no sentence will every be enough. The law needs changing and sentences for crimes like this should be much, much tougher.

"Martin Newman's utterly selfish actions stole the lives of my children and destroyed our family forever. I am totally heartbroken. I have lost not one, but both of my precious children. They were my absolute joy and reason for living.

"I wake up thinking I am in a dream, but I'm not. I am living in a nightmare."