A man who caused the death of two people in a horror crash has been warned that he faces a significant prison sentence.

Shaun Goldstraw, 21, from Staffordshire, made his first appearance at Mold Crown Court on Friday and admitted two charges of causing death by dangerous driving.

It follows a crash in which a Flintshire couple died and in which Goldstraw himself was seriously injured.

During a short plea hearing before Judge Niclas Parry on Friday, Goldstraw, of Tulip Way in Leek, admitted that he caused the deaths of Tracy Louise Haley and Darren Lowe, of Bagillt, by driving dangerously on the A543 road near Pentrefoelas on February 27 last year.

His barrister Gordon Hennell said his client had pleaded guilty to two very serious charges and fully understood that the court would have no alternative but to impose an immediate and substantial custodial sentence.

He himself had suffered quite substantial injuries including head injuries in the collision.

Goldstraw had been in custody for some three weeks.

Judge Parry agreed to adjourn sentence until next month so that a pre-sentence report could be prepared by the probation service.

“You will understand that you are now facing an inevitable lengthy custodial sentence,” the judge told him.

But he would receive maximum credit for pleading guilty as early as he had done and that would be reflected in his sentence

Judge Parry imposed an interim driving ban in the meantime.

Goldstraw was re-bailed pending his sentencing hearing on June 1.

Prosecuting barrister Andrew Green did not open the details of the case at this stage. That will be done at the sentencing hearing.

The emergency services were called to the scene on the A543 near Pentrefoelas in the Conwy Valley to a report of a serious collision.

Miss Haley, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene, while Mr Lowe, 43, died more than a month later as a result of his injuries.

The collision involved Goldstraw’s Renault Clio and the couple’s Mercedes SLK.

The double death shocked the village of Bagillt where the couple were described as popular.

Neighbours at the time described them as a nice quiet couple, very pleasant.