A ROMANIAN van driver who killed a Team GB athlete when he smashed into her from behind during a cycling race will be deported.
Rebecca Comins, 52, was riding on a clear sunny day with a flashing light attached to her bike when the tragedy unfolded.
Rebecca Comins was tragically killed as she took part in a cycling race Credit: WNS
Vasile Barbu was jailed after being convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and has now lost an appeal against his deportation Credit: WNS
The mum-of-two was sent flying through the air after Vasile Barbu struck her from behind on a dual carriageway in 2022.
Rebecca was taking part in a time trial cycling event organised by Monmouthshire Cycling Club while Barbu was delivering furniture to a driver in Calais.
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Barbu was jailed for four years but has now lost his appeal against deportation.
The crown court sentencing judge had told reckless Barbu: “It remains difficult to understand, having reflected on all of the evidence, why this collision occurred.”
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An immigration tribunal heard he moved to Britain in 2002 to become a pub chef and eventually owned the bar.
Barbu married a Romanian woman in 2004 and had twins.
Barbu said he identified closely with British culture and traditions and regarded the UK as his permanent home.
But an immigration judge said: “The nature of the offending is important. This was not an accident. It was not a slight misjudgement.
Comins, 52 , was taking part in a time trial event on a dual carriageway Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE
She was shunted off her bike by cowardly Barbu Credit: WNS
“It was committed using a vehicle which should not have been on the road. It was overladen and deficient.
“These matters compound the nature and seriousness of the offending.”
Judge Ian Boyes added :”I find that the decision to deport him would not constitute a disproportionate interference with his right to respect for private and family life under Article 8 ECHR.
“The very significant public interest in deportation outweighs the appellant’s private and family life considerations.
“Accordingly, I conclude that deportation would not breach the United Kingdom‘s obligations under Article 8 ECHR.”
Cardiff Crown Court previously heard how Rebecca had been taking part in a time trial cycling race organised by local club Monmouthshire Wheelers at the time of the tragedy.
Cyclists had been setting off at one minute intervals along the dual carriageway, which had signs in place warning drivers about the race.
Barbu failed to manoeuvre around Rebecca just moments after he “buzzed” another biker while passing.
Following his arrest, the driver was unable to explain how the collision took place and told police he gave the athlete a two-metre gap.
The court heard he accepted he must have collided with Rebecca and admitted causing death by careless driving before he was sentenced and later jailed in July 2024.
Rebecca, known as Becky, had represented Great Britain in both European and world championships.
She came ninth in the 2018 Tartu ETU Triathlon European Championships, and 30th in the 2019 ITU World Triathlon Grand Final Lausanne.
At the time of her death, she was the Vintage Veteran Champion of the Welsh Triathlon Super Series.
Rebecca had also represented Wales the weekend before the crash.
