June 13th 2024.
Brett Button, a bus driver, is facing sentencing for his role in Australia's deadliest road crash in decades. However, before the verdict is announced, he will have a chance to hear from the victims and their families about the impact of the tragic incident.
For several days, Button will sit in court and listen to the heartbreaking stories of the families who lost their loved ones in the horrific crash. He was the driver of a bus that overturned while driving through a roundabout, claiming the lives of 10 people and injuring many others who were returning from a wedding in the NSW Hunter region in June 2023.
The 59-year-old pleaded guilty to 10 counts of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, and 16 counts of furious driving causing bodily harm. These charges were a result of a controversial plea deal in which manslaughter charges were withdrawn, causing outrage among the families of the deceased.
In September, Judge Roy Ellis has scheduled three days for Button to hear up to 35 impact statements from the victims. His lawyers wanted him to appear via video from the Shortland Correctional Centre, but the judge has ordered him to be brought to court for the entirety of the hearing.
Before the sentencing, both the prosecution and Button's lawyers will submit written statements to the court by the end of August. The sentence will be delivered at a later date.
As part of the sentencing process, victim impact statements are a crucial aspect that allows those affected by the crime to share how it has affected their lives. In this case, with so many people impacted by the tragedy, it may take several days for all the statements to be heard.
On the one-year anniversary of the crash, there were no formal commemorative events, but many people left flowers at the site. The local council has also built a permanent memorial for the victims at the nondescript roundabout where the accident occurred.
In the aftermath of the crash, the NSW government's Bus Industry Taskforce recommended a state-wide campaign to promote the importance of wearing seatbelts and considering an 80km/h limit for buses carrying standing passengers. They also suggested technological improvements in vehicles and ongoing reports on driver psychometric measurements and compulsory drug and alcohol testing. These measures aim to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future.
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