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A 21-year-old has been found not guilty of causing death by dangerous driving after she hit an elderly couple while using her phone.

Taylor McDonnell, 21, knocked down grandparents Denis and Joyce Drew, both 86, as they took an evening stroll in Ponthir, south Wales, two years ago.

She denied two charges of death by dangerous driving saying her phone was on speaker.

Today the jury at Newport Crown Court returned not guilty verdicts.

(Image: Wales News)

A court heard McDonnell spent 18 minutes of her 20 minute drive making a series of phone calls as she drove to see her boyfriend, when she hit Mr and Mrs Drew.

Hairdresser McDonnell denied talking with her phone to her ear while driving in the moments before her car hit and killed the elderly couple, reports Wales Online.

She said the phone was on loudspeaker function and that she did not actually touch the phone while behind the wheel.

The court heard from a police expert that she could have stopped in time.

Collision investigator PC Rhys Reynolds told the court McDonnell would have been able to see the elderly couple clearly from about 14m away.

But another collision expert disagreed on whether McDonnell could have stopped in time after noticing the Drews.

Former crash investigator for Avon and Somerset Police David Loat said: “It’s my opinion that there are a number of circumstances that made this collision unavoidable”.

McDonnell told police she hadn’t seen Mr Drew at all and only spotted Mrs Drew at the moment of impact.

Joyce and Denis Drew's daughter Sarah England said this outside court: "We are utterly devastated. On behalf of our family I can only say that we are shocked by the not guilty verdict.

"For our beloved parents, Joyce and Denis, we feel justice has not been done and we will never come to terms with how these two gentle souls lost their lives in such a brutal and violent way.

Ms England said: "The only possible good that can come out of this tragedy is to change the casual acceptance of the use of mobile phones while driving.

"We would like public opinion and the law to change in the same way that it has with drink driving."

A Gwent Police spokesman said: "We accept the judgement of the jury and our thoughts remain with the family."