A Swansea Valley family has launched a bitter attack on a motorist after hearing how their son was left dying in an Ystradgynlais lane last year.

Craig Jones of Heol Maes y Dre, Ystradgynlais, was walking home from the All Black Arms on December 2, when he was hit by a car on Home Farm lane and left lying in the middle of the road.

The Ystradgynlais hearing was told that the 25 year-old suffered multiple injuries and died at Morriston Hospital several hours later.

And the dead man’s grieving mother Katrina Dianne Jones told Powys coroner Peter Maddox, that she held motorist David Usher to blame for the tragedy and criticised him for leaving the scene.

“It could be argued that Craig contributed to the incident as he was under the influence of alcohol and was negligent,” she said.

“But Craig had enough sense not to walk home on the main road where he could have had an accident. He chose to walk down what is commonly known to be a quieter route.

“The publican knew Craig and I believe that he would not have allowed him to walk home if he could not do so safely.”

Earlier on, Mr Usher of Penybryn, Ystradgynlais, had said that while he was the driver of the vehicle that struck Mr Jones at around midnight, he had been unaware of the fatal collision.

“I remember going back down the lane, it was pitch black and we were travelling at about 25 miles per hour,” he said.

“About half way down the lane I saw something white was in front of the car. I didn’t think it was a big deal, I though it was a bag or a sheep.

“I couldn’t avoid it, the road was bumpy because there was holes in the road. I didn’t go back because I didn’t think there was anything to go back for.” Mr Jones, who was left severely injured, was discovered lying in the lane by Mr Hugh Thomas of Home Farm when he drove home at around 12.15am.

PC James Nicholas Jenkins, who described how he held Mr Jones’ hand until the ambulance arrived, said that although the injured man was conscious, he was delirious and did not know where he was. It took an ambulance one-and-a-half hours to reach the scene.

Mr Maddox said that while the fact Mr Usher did not stop was “regrettable”, he could find no evidence that he intended to hit Mr Jones. The Crown Prosecution Service had not made a case against him for death by dangerous driving – but he does face charges of having no insurance, failing to stop and failing to report an accident.

He recorded a narrative verdict that Mr Jones had died after being struck by a car that was driven by Mr Usher and sustained multiple injuries.