Revealed: Son of Cardiff ex-footballer Leon Jeanne was one of five young revelers in a horror hit after a night out left three dead
One of the clubbers in the South Wales accident that killed three people and seriously injured two others in a car not found for 48 hours is said to be the son of a star footballer who turned to crime after a addiction to cocaine.
Rafel Jeanne is believed to be the son of former Cardiff City and QPR footballer Leon Jeanne, who was once called Wales’ most promising footballer.
Rafel and his friend Shane Loughlin, 32, both from Cardiff, were in a white VW Tiguan with Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21, who went missing at 2 a.m. Saturday. Police believe the car was involved in a traffic accident and came off the A48(M) and appears to have been undiscovered for 48 hours.
Friends on social media have sent their best wishes to Rafel and his family, including Leon Jeanne.
In 2019, the former footballer was convicted of dangerous driving after being chased by police at 100 mph on the same road where his son was found today. In 2015, he was jailed for 30 months for his part in a plot to supply cocaine.
Rafel Jeanne (pictured with the missing car) is believed to be the son of former Cardiff City and QPR footballer Leon Jeanne (right), who was once dubbed Wales’ most promising footballer before being imprisoned in a drug case
Jeanne’s most recent run into the law came in 2019 in a driving case that was chillingly close to where his son crashed near the Cardiff Garden Center in the city’s St Mellons area.
Jeanne – who was once voted Wales’ most promising footballer when he played for the Wales under-21s – tried to squeeze between two traffic lines at a red light before jumping out of his car.
Prosecutor Laurence Jones said it started when Jeanne in a Volkswagen Golf overtook an unmarked police car on the busy road – accelerating rapidly and changing lanes.
Mr. Jones said, “The officer looked on in disbelief.”
Jeanne was driving so fast that police couldn’t make out his number plate on Cardiff’s busy Western Avenue.
Eve Smith (pictured) belongs to the group of missing friends. The police support their families
Darcy Ross, 21, (left) and Sophie Russon, 20, (right) are missing alongside another woman and two men. Family say they are ‘worried sick’ and have appealed for help in finding them
Shane Loughlin (left), 32, and Rafel Jeanne, 24, (right) were reported missing after the women were last seen at 2am on Saturday
The officer described his driving as “aggressive” and estimated that he was traveling in excess of 100 mph as other cars stopped to get out of his way.
Jeanne noticed he was being followed by the police – and swerved over chevrons into the driveway at the last second to ‘shake them off’.
Cardiff Crown Court heard that Jeanne tried to force his way between two vehicles, causing £2,500 worth of damage to a Renault Clio he had shunted from behind.
He was caught on camera from a garbage truck lifting the Clio while trying to push it through the hole, then jumped out of his car and tried to run away.
The court heard that Jeanne thought he was being chased by someone he was having an “argument” with and drove off fearing for his safety.
Prosecutors said he had previous convictions, including taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.
Jeanne from Llanrumney, Cardiff, admitted she had been driving dangerously.
Owen Williams, defending himself, said he would be taking a painting and decorating class — and asked the judge to withhold immediate custody.
Jeanne received an eight-month prison sentence, 18 months of which were suspended, and was subject to a 12-week curfew. He was disqualified from driving for two years
