Tributes to Dwygyfylchi man killed in A5 crash

Mar 18 2010 by Eryl Crump, North Wales Weekly News

TRIBUTES have been paid to an ex-policeman killed in a car crash in Snowdonia last week.

Jeremy Bruce Hails, 76, of Beach Road, Penmaenmawr died on the A5 near Bethesda last Saturday.

He had been on his way to Capel Curig to meet friends when his Renault Clio crashed.

His wife Pauline, daughters Carolyn and Frances and his three brothers gathered at the family home this week.

Jason Hails said: “Jerry was my elder brother, my mentor. We were always close and had a lot of fun together. I will miss him greatly.”

Born in London, Mr Hails spent the war years at his grandfather’s house near Bala.

“He did his National Service in the RAF and after his service returned to London and joined the Metropolitan Police and rose to become a station sergeant,” Mr Hails recalled.

He moved to North Wales following the death of his first wife Susan from cancer in the early 1980s.

“He decided to move to North Wales because he had loved the area from when he was very young.

“He was an active rock climber, cyclist and hill walker.

“An arthritic knee gave him some difficulties but that was replaced a few years ago and he had a new lease of life.”

Mr Hails was also keen on motor cars and aircraft.

“In the late 1950s he had a Morgan three wheeler and he would take me to Brands Hatch to watch motor racing.

“He would love to visit RAF Valley and watch the aeroplanes come and go. One of his last phone calls to me was after such a visit and he was very excited because he had seen the new Typhoon fighter,” he added.

Until a few years ago Mr Hails ran an off-licence in Penmaenmawr and was well respected in the town.

Darrell Owens, who runs the Penmaenmawr Furniture Centre, said his death had come as a great shock.

“I saw him only last week. He was parked outside the shop. We would have conversations about all sorts of topics.

“Our businesses used to be nearly opposite and we would often talk about local issues,” he said.

Cllr Ken Stevens said Mr Hails was active in the community.

“He was a really nice guy. Whenever we had a community event he would attend and would always be happy to donate prizes,” he said.

North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard Jones opened an inquest into his death after hearing identification evidence and adjourned the hearing to a date to be fixed.