Latest news Wedding bus accident in Australia: 32 years in prison for driver

Around a year after a devastating bus accident involving a wedding party in Australia that left ten people dead, the bus driver has been sentenced to 32 years in prison.

More than two dozen other passengers were injured, some seriously, in the accident in the Hunter Valley in the state of New South Wales in June 2023. The AAP news agency quoted Judge Roy Ellis from the Newcastle District Court as saying that the 59-year-old defendant was clearly impaired by the use of a painkiller during the accident and was therefore driving too fast and riskily.

On June 11, 2023, the bus had suddenly crashed sideways onto a crash barrier near the village of Greta while exiting a traffic circle in thick fog. The bus driver himself was only slightly injured. He was arrested and later charged with ten counts of dangerous driving causing death and ten counts of grievous bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to all charges.

Parole is only possible after 24 years

Just a few hours earlier, the wedding couple, who were not on the bus themselves, had been celebrating with their guests at a winery. The Hunter Valley north of Sydney is one of Australia's best-known wine regions and a very popular location for celebrations and weddings. The accident has sparked a debate about whether seatbelts should be made compulsory on buses in Australia.

When handing down the verdict, Judge Ellis emphasized that in his more than 50 years in the judicial system, he was not aware of any other case that had had such a devastating impact on so many people. The bus driver had seriously breached his duty of care towards his passengers and had not fulfilled his responsibilities. The convicted man can only apply for release on parole after 24 years in prison.

He had admitted in court that he had taken more than the prescribed amount of a painkiller. "I am ashamed," he said. "I can't forgive myself. I can't believe I caused this." The driver went on to explain that he had committed the "ultimate sin". "I hate myself. I want to disappear."

SDA