THE seizure suffered by a nurse which led to a fatal crash was not caused by epilepsy, but triggered by powerful painkiller Tramadol, a jury was told.

Cerys Price is on trial accused of being responsible for the collision which led to the death of 65-year-old Robert Dean in Newport.

Prosecutor Timothy Evans has claimed the 28-year-old was in a “seriously drugged-up state” on Tramadol whilst at the wheel of an Isuzu pick-up truck.

Cardiff Crown Court heard how Price “lost control or full consciousness” before she veered over the central reservation and hit Mr Dean’s Vauxhall Astra head-on.

The alleged victim, from Cwmcarn, was killed following the crash on the A467 dual carriageway between the Rogerstone intersection and Bassaleg roundabout on July 15 2016.

Mr Evans told the jury: “The prosecution put forward a simple set of propositions. She had not had an epileptic seizure before that day. She had a large amount of Tramadol inside her that she should not have had.

“It is understood that you will hear from (defence medical experts) about whether epilepsy was in their opinion the cause of what happened, as opposed to the high self-induced dose of Tramadol.”

The prosecution called Dr Ian Morrison, a consultant neurologist and a specialist in epilepsy, to give evidence.

He explained how epilepsy is an “unprovoked seizure” caused by an abnormal discharge of electricity in the brain.

Dr Morrison told the court that in his opinion: “The seizure that led to the crash was not an epileptic seizure, it was provoked by Tramadol.”

He agreed with Mr Evans when he asked him if he thought the amount of the painkiller in Price’s system was “in excess of a therapeutic dose”.

The court was told the level of the Tramadol the defendant had in her blood was at a concentration of 1,803 microgrammes per litre.

Mr Evans told the jury: “The prosecution case is that Miss Price was a graduate level nurse and should have known how dangerous it was for her to drive in that state.

“To do so falls way below the proper standards expected of drivers on our roads. She lost control in that state.

“A completely innocent man, simply minding his own business driving along the opposite side of the road, lost his life. Her boyfriend suffered serious injury.

“You can be sure that those awful consequences were directly caused by her dangerous driving.”

Price, of Limestone Road East, Nantyglo, denies causing the death by dangerous driving of Mr Dean.

She has also pleaded not guilty to causing serious injury to Jack Tinklin, her partner at the time, by dangerous driving.

He was a front seat passenger in the Isuzu.

The trial, before Judge Michael Fitton QC, continues.