Shane Andrew Loughlin, 32, of the Rumney area of Cardiff, appeared at the city's Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

The offences occurred on the M4 at around 10pm on 3 March.

South Wales Police say they are not connected with the crash that happened later that night at 2.03am.

Driver Rafel Jeanne and passengers Darcy Ross and Eve Smith died in the fatal collision in the early hours of 4 March.

Magistrates heard Loughlin had been disqualified from driving for 12 months from July 2022.

Sophie Pennifold, prosecuting, said he was seen getting in and out of the Tiguan at Castleton Esso at around 10.40pm.

Ms Pennifold told the court CCTV footage showed "the defendant exiting, putting petrol in the car, walking to the kiosk to pay and driving away at 10.46pm".

She also described how Loughlin filmed himself driving as he inhaled from a balloon.

An initial inquest was told the three who died were declared dead at the scene of the crash.

The hearing was adjourned pending the outcome of further histology and toxicology tests.

The five occupants of the car were not discovered until Monday 6 March, around 46 hours after the crash took place.

The length of time taken by Gwent Police and South Wales Police to find the group is the subject of an ongoing investigation by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).

Officers identified the alleged offences by Loughlin while investigating the fatal collision and police say they involved the same vehicle.

The collision itself happened near the St Mellons area of Cardiff on the A48(M).

A Volkswagon Tiguan veered off a slip road approaching a roundabout and came to rest in some trees.

Sophie Russon - another passenger in the car - also survived the crash.

Loughlin will be sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on 5 September.

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Court papers seen by Sky News earlier this month revealed the group had been drinking alcohol and inhaling nitrous oxide, commonly known as laughing gas, prior to the collision.

Joel Lia, the sixth passenger in the car, was charged with driving the vehicle without a licence or insurance in Porthcawl earlier that evening.

He pleaded guilty to both charges and his case, which was heard in private, was adjourned until 24 August.