A heartbroken mother whose two young children were killed by a drunk driver has demanded justice after he was freed half way through his sentence.
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he → kill → sentence
Rhiannon Lucas, 30, lost her daughter Gracie-Ann, four, and son Jayden-Lee, three, in the crash on the M4 near Newport, South Wales, on February 5, 2022.
Martin Newman, 45, was over the drink-drive limit and had cocaine in his system when he ploughed into the family's stationary car in his white Ford Transit van.
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he → lose → van
He admitted two counts of causing death and one count of causing serious injury by dangerous driving, and was jailed for nine years and four months in April 2022.
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He → admit → April
Newman, from Croeserw, Neath Port Talbot, was also banned from driving for 14 years and eight months during his sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court.
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Newman → ban → Court
The punishment sparked fury from the children's family, whose request that his sentence be reviewed for being 'unduly lenient' was denied.
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sentence → spark → family
In yet another blow, Ms Lucas learned Newman had been transferred to an open prison after serving two years of his sentence.
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Newman → learn → sentence
The killer driver walked free last week after serving half of his sentence.
Gracie-Ann Lucas, aged four, and her little brother Jayden-Lee, three, (pictured together) sustained catastrophic brain injuries and later died in hospital, leaving behind their grief-stricken mother Rhiannon Lucas and her partner Adam Saunders
Newman pleaded guilty to causing the deaths of the children by dangerous driving.
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Lucas → walk → driving
He also admitted seriously injuring their mother after she suffered a fractured rib and torn liver
Martin Newman, 45, was over the drink-drive limit and had cocaine in his system when he ploughed into the family's stationary car in his white Ford Transit van
Ms
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he → admit → van
Lucas, from Tredegar, has slammed the justice system as a 'disgrace'.
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Lucas → slam → disgrace
'Just four pathetic years in jail for killing my two children,' she said.
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she → kill → children
'He's a free man to do whatever he pleases while my two babies are lying in a grave.
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babies → do → grave
'I'm very, very angry that he's been released.
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he → release → ?
I'd been trying to speak with the parole board all week and got no response at all.
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I → try → response
Today the probation officer called me and told me he has been released from jail.
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he → call → jail
I'll never hold my children again or hear their laughter again because of his selfish actions that day.
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I → hold → actions
Their little sister Summer-Gracie, who is now three-years-old, will never get to meet her siblings who would have loved her so much.
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who → get → her
'He destroyed my family and now he's a free man.'
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he → destroy → family
She previously described Newman's sentence as 'pathetic'.
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She → describe → sentence
Ms Lucas said in 2022: 'His nine year sentence is completely inadequate and pathetic.
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sentence → say → 2022
He has killed two children.
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He → kill → children
He should be serving a life sentence for what he has done, although no sentence will every be enough.
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sentence → serve → what
Rhiannon Lucas (pictured with her partner Joseph Wheaton) has slammed the justice system as a 'disgrace' after a drunk driver who killed her two young children was released from jail
Gracie-Ann (right) and Jayden-Lee (left) later died in intensive care at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, while Ms Lucas suffered life-changing injuries
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Lucas → picture → injuries
Ms Lucas had been returning from a birthday party with her partner Adam Saunders and their two children when they pulled their Ford Fiesta onto the hard shoulder so Gracie-Ann could go to the toilet.
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Ann → return → toilet
Newman, from Croeserw, Neath Port Talbot, had been drinking double vodka and lemonades with workmates the night before the crash.
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Newman → drink → crash
He was staying at a hotel near Leicester for work when he went back to his room and drank ten cans of Strongbow and took cocaine until 5am.
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he → stay → am
The father-of-two attempted to go to work the following morning but was too 'tired, drained and hungover'.
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father → attempt → work
He then decided to make the journey back to South Wales with a bottle of wine in his cup holder while he took sips for his 'dry mouth.'
Witnesses spotted Newman 'glued to his phone' behind the wheel as he was embroiled in a heated argument with his ex-partner.
Emergency services rushed to the scene to find Newman crying with blood on his hands and smelling of alcohol.
Newman told police: 'I want to f***ing die' and also said: 'I shouldn't have been in a rush to get home.'
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I → decide → rush
Both children suffered catastrophic brain injuries in the crash and later died in intensive care at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
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children → suffer → Cardiff
Ms Lucas suffered a fractured rib and torn liver.
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Lucas → suffer → rib
While Newman is out of jail, Ms Lucas is left facing every birthday, Christmas and family milestone without the children he killed.
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he → leave → children
'Their little sister Summer-Gracie will never know them, and I am expecting another baby who will never meet their siblings,' she said.
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she → know → siblings
'Instead, I have two graves to visit on birthdays and Christmas and all the milestones my children will never see.
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children → have → birthdays
'I've got a life sentence of my own - one of grief, while he is free to live his life.'
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he → get → life
The Daily Mail has contacted the Ministry of Justice for comment.
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Mail → contact → comment
The Aporia
