A RISCA teenager was told he is facing custody after pleading guilty to causing the death of his friend by dangerous driving.

Jay Haines, 18, of Machen Close, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court where he admitted causing the death of 18-year-old Morgan Hackling by dangerous driving on November 6 last year.

Haines had previously denied the charge but changed his plea at the hearing yesterday.

Judge Patrick Curran QC told Haines that a custodial sentence is "inevitable".

The Argus previously reported how Mr Hackling, of Gwendoline Road, Risca, died in the early hours of November 6 following an accident on the town's Tredegar Street, just two streets away from his home.

The former Coleg Gwent student was a front seat passenger in a Suzuki Alto car being driven by Haines, which overturned opposite Moriah Baptist Church at around 1.35am.

Mr Hackling, who had previously studied health and social care at the college's Cross Keys campus, was taken to Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital with serious injuries but was later pronounced dead.

Following Mr Hackling's death, mourners tied more than 20 bouquets of flowers to a lamppost at the crash site and more than 350 people joined two Facebook groups set up in the teenager's memory.

Haines was released on bail while a pre-sentence report is prepared. He is due to be sentenced on September 21.