Shocking moment jealous woman killed her love rival by barging her off the road in high-speed Fast and Furious-style car chase

Melissa Pesticcio caused Sophie Taylor to crash into a brick wall during chase
Pesticcio started fatal pursuit after chasing rival from home of Michael Wheeler
The women had clashed after Wheeler dumped Pesticcio for Miss Taylor
'Manipulative' Wheeler went back to ex after cheating Miss Taylor out of £6,500

Published: 16:15 BST, 10 May 2017 | Updated: 08:03 BST, 11 May 2017

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A jilted girlfriend is facing jail for killing her love rival in a 'Fast and Furious-style' car chase.

Melissa Pesticcio, 23, 'literally drove Sophie Taylor, 22, to her death' after causing her to smash into a brick wall during a high-speed chase through the streets of Cardiff.

Jealous Pesticcio 'started and maintained' the fatal pursuit after chasing Miss Taylor away from the home of long-term lover Michael Wheeler, 22, who both woman had been in a relationship with.

Melissa Pesticcio (pictured left) caused her love rival Sophie Taylor to crash into a brick wall in Cardiff. Pesticcio started the fatal pursuit after chasing Miss Taylor away from the home of long-term lover Michael Wheeler (right)

The two young wome n had repeatedly clashed after Wheeler dumped Pesticcio for blonde call centre worker Miss Taylor (pictured)

The two young women had repeatedly clashed after Wheeler dumped Pesticcio for blonde call centre worker Miss Taylor.

But 'manipulative' Wheeler went back to Pesticcio after cheating Miss Taylor out of £6,500 for a motorbike she bought him and she demanded her money back.

Her requests for a refund led to her being chased off in her car by Pesticcio and Wheeler.

The three cars raced through the streets of Cardiff as Miss Taylor, who was driving a black BMW, tried to shake off her pursuers. CCTV showed the Corsa Pesticcio was in (left) leading the chase with Wheeler behind

CCTV captured the high speed chase through the Card iff which ended with Wheeler's Vauxhall Corsa 'bargeing' Miss Taylor's BMW into a wall

Wheeler's Vauxhall Corsa 'barged' Miss Taylor's BMW into a wall following a high-speed chase through the streets of the city, killing her and leaving her passenger with 'life-changing injuries.'

Wheeler admitted to causing serious injury by dangerous driving and causing death by dangerous driving, while Pesticcio, who was driving her white BMW, denied the chase.

Today she was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving and severely injuring Miss Taylor's passenger Joshua Deguara after a 10 day trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

Prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said Pesticcio 'started and maintained' the fatal pursuit.

'Manipulative' Wheeler went back to Pesticcio (pictured outside court) after cheating Miss Taylor out of £6,500 and she demanded her money back

He said: 'In her rear view mirror, Sophie Taylor would have seen Melissa Pesticcio for 70 per cent of the journey.

'Sophie Taylor died and Joshua Deguara suffered life-changing injuries as a result of that pursuit she started and maintained.'

Pesticcio admitted she was 'hurt' after Wheeler left her for Miss Taylor around June last year, which led to 'a period of hostility' between the women.

But Wheeler dumped Miss Taylor after she bought him a £6,500 bike and began sleeping with Pesticcio again, the court heard.

The chase (route pictured) was caught on various traffic cameras. When Wheeler's black Corsa gained on Miss Taylor's black BMW, he intentionally barged into her, causing her to spin out of control and crash into a brick wall

Miss Taylor took Mr Degura with her to confront Wheeler and demand the bike back, but a row broke out.

Wheeler then rang Pesticcio for help and the pair, along with Wheeler's sister Lisa, chased Miss Taylor in their cars.

The three cars raced through the streets of Cardiff as Miss Taylor tried to shake off her pursuers.

CCTV showed Pesticcio leading the chase, just after midnight on August 22, 2016 with Wheeler behind.

Today Pesticcio was found guilty of causing death by dangerous driving after a 10 day trial at Cardiff Crown Court

Wheeler twice drove onto the wrong side of the road to try and get closer to Miss Taylor, and managed to overtake Pesticcio on the last occasion down the a narrow terraced street.

When Wheeler's black Corsa gained on Miss Taylor's black BMW, he inte ntionally barged into her, causing her to spin out of control and crash into a brick wall.

Miss Taylor was killed and Mr Deguara was left with life-changing injuries and spent 'many months' in hospital.

Pesticcio admitted wanting to win Wheeler back, and told the jury: 'He was saying he wanted to work things out. I was hoping to get back together with him.'

However, she denied 'hating' Miss Taylor or plotting to harm her, despite sending foul-mouthed messages about her to friends.

The court heard in the days before Miss Taylor's death Pesticcio sent a text about her to a friend stating: 'I will find her, and I will kill her.'

Asked why she sent the message, Pesticcio said: 'I disliked her but it was a line taken from the film "Taken".'

She denied other texts she sent showed she was prep ared to 'bully and threaten' Miss Baker, including one where she threatened to hit her.

Pesticcio, of Marshfield, Cardiff, will be sentenced on Friday. She was remanded in custody.

'IT HAS RIPPED US APART': SOPHIE TAYLOR'S FAMILY ON NIGHT THEIR FAMILY WAS 'BROKEN FOREVER'

Miss Taylor (pictured) was described as a 'strong and independent young woman with a huge heart' by her family

The families of Sophie Taylor and Joshua Deguara released a joint statement expressing their heartbreak.

Both said that 'no sentence' would ever compensate for the trauma they had been through.

The statement read: 'Two families were broken forever on August 22, 2016. We have been left devastated and heartbroken at the loss of our beautiful Princess Sophie, and the horrific injuries suffered by Josh.

'This has now become an ongoing nightmare that both our families have to endure daily.

'Since that dreadful day we feel that justice can and will never be fully served. For the death of our beloved Sophie, there will be no amount of justice for the events that led to her death and the life changing injuries that Josh has sustained - no amount of justice will ever be sufficient.

'Sophie was our princess, the light of our life - a strong and independent young woman with a huge heart.

'She was a beautiful daughter, sister and friend, capable of giving so much love, and in return all she ever wanted was to be loved back.

'As a close family, her death has left us ripped apart, unable to cope, really. We fear we will never be able to get over the devastating loss of our lovely angel.

'Sophie will never be replaced in our hearts. No amount of sentence will ever bring her back to us, nor will it wipe away the horrific life-changing physical and mental scars suffered by Josh.

'Joshua is a lovely young man who has his whole life ahead of him. He has been left with devastating injuries that has changed his life forever. He is a bright, kind and caring young man with an amazing sense of humour.

'He was very independent with a great circle of friends so had a busy social life. He enjoyed playing football and was due to start a new job just before the crash. This is now not the case - he is housebound now and has lost all his independence.

'We are a very close family and this incident has ruined the life of a wonderful young man and taken the life of a beautiful young woman. It has also destroyed both our families.'