Driver appeals sentence over deadly wedding bus crash
Brett Andrew Button, 60, had been driving too fast and engaged in risk-taking behaviour before the deadly crash, which also injured 25 people, in the NSW Hunter Valley region in June 2023.
He was sentenced in September to a maximum jail term of 32 years with a non-parole period of 24 years.
At the time, NSW District Court Judge Roy Ellis said he was unaware of any other case that had such a devastating impact on so many people.
Button has filed a challenge to his sentence which was briefly heard in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday.
A hearing has been scheduled for October 3.
Prosecutors expect voluminous evidence to be tendered, including victim impact statements from the families of those who died or were injured in the crash.
The court will consider a psychological report for Button and several references attesting to his good character.
The bus driver will not be appealing against his conviction.
He pleaded guilty in the District Court to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving.
Button was told in 2022 that he was dependent on the opioid Tramadol.
He admitted taking more than the prescribed amount prior to the crash.
The vehicle entered a roundabout on Wine Country Drive on the way to Singleton after a wine estate wedding at an estimated 52km/h.
It then accelerated to about 56km/h when on the roundabout, the District Court was earlier told.
The speed required to tip the bus over was only 31km/h.
A class action has been filed by those injured and family members of the deceased against the NSW government alleging failings in the design of the roundabout.
The speed limit through the interchange was also allegedly too high.
A wedding bus driver impaired by an opioid during a horror crash that killed 10 people has appealed against his 32-year jail sentence.
Brett Andrew Button, 60, had been driving too fast and engaged in risk-taking behaviour before the deadly crash, which also injured 25 people, in the NSW Hunter Valley region in June 2023.
He was sentenced in September to a maximum jail term of 32 years with a non-parole period of 24 years.
At the time, NSW District Court Judge Roy Ellis said he was unaware of any other case that had such a devastating impact on so many people.
Button has filed a challenge to his sentence which was briefly heard in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday.
A hearing has been scheduled for October 3.
Prosecutors expect voluminous evidence to be tendered, including victim impact statements from the families of those who died or were injured in the crash.
The court will consider a psychological report for Button and several references attesting to his good character.
The bus driver will not be appealing against his conviction.
He pleaded guilty in the District Court to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving.
Button was told in 2022 that he was dependent on the opioid Tramadol.
He admitted taking more than the prescribed amount prior to the crash.
The vehicle entered a roundabout on Wine Country Drive on the way to Singleton after a wine estate wedding at an estimated 52km/h.
It then accelerated to about 56km/h when on the roundabout, the District Court was earlier told.
The speed required to tip the bus over was only 31km/h.
A class action has been filed by those injured and family members of the deceased against the NSW government alleging failings in the design of the roundabout.
The speed limit through the interchange was also allegedly too high.
A wedding bus driver impaired by an opioid during a horror crash that killed 10 people has appealed against his 32-year jail sentence.
Brett Andrew Button, 60, had been driving too fast and engaged in risk-taking behaviour before the deadly crash, which also injured 25 people, in the NSW Hunter Valley region in June 2023.
He was sentenced in September to a maximum jail term of 32 years with a non-parole period of 24 years.
At the time, NSW District Court Judge Roy Ellis said he was unaware of any other case that had such a devastating impact on so many people.
Button has filed a challenge to his sentence which was briefly heard in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday.
A hearing has been scheduled for October 3.
Prosecutors expect voluminous evidence to be tendered, including victim impact statements from the families of those who died or were injured in the crash.
The court will consider a psychological report for Button and several references attesting to his good character.
The bus driver will not be appealing against his conviction.
He pleaded guilty in the District Court to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving.
Button was told in 2022 that he was dependent on the opioid Tramadol.
He admitted taking more than the prescribed amount prior to the crash.
The vehicle entered a roundabout on Wine Country Drive on the way to Singleton after a wine estate wedding at an estimated 52km/h.
It then accelerated to about 56km/h when on the roundabout, the District Court was earlier told.
The speed required to tip the bus over was only 31km/h.
A class action has been filed by those injured and family members of the deceased against the NSW government alleging failings in the design of the roundabout.
The speed limit through the interchange was also allegedly too high.
A wedding bus driver impaired by an opioid during a horror crash that killed 10 people has appealed against his 32-year jail sentence.
Brett Andrew Button, 60, had been driving too fast and engaged in risk-taking behaviour before the deadly crash, which also injured 25 people, in the NSW Hunter Valley region in June 2023.
He was sentenced in September to a maximum jail term of 32 years with a non-parole period of 24 years.
At the time, NSW District Court Judge Roy Ellis said he was unaware of any other case that had such a devastating impact on so many people.
Button has filed a challenge to his sentence which was briefly heard in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday.
A hearing has been scheduled for October 3.
Prosecutors expect voluminous evidence to be tendered, including victim impact statements from the families of those who died or were injured in the crash.
The court will consider a psychological report for Button and several references attesting to his good character.
The bus driver will not be appealing against his conviction.
He pleaded guilty in the District Court to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving.
Button was told in 2022 that he was dependent on the opioid Tramadol.
He admitted taking more than the prescribed amount prior to the crash.
The vehicle entered a roundabout on Wine Country Drive on the way to Singleton after a wine estate wedding at an estimated 52km/h.
It then accelerated to about 56km/h when on the roundabout, the District Court was earlier told.
The speed required to tip the bus over was only 31km/h.
A class action has been filed by those injured and family members of the deceased against the NSW government alleging failings in the design of the roundabout.
The speed limit through the interchange was also allegedly too high.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
a day ago
- ABC News
Driver who killed pedestrian in hit and run and tried to cover it up sentenced to jail
A man who killed a pedestrian in Brisbane last year while he was "daydreaming" has been sentenced to five years in jail. In the District Court in Brisbane on Friday, Joshua Alexander Scott, who torched his car in an attempt to hide evidence of the hit and run, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death as well as arson of a motor vehicle. During a sentencing hearing, the court heard the then 35-year-old had been driving to work just after 5am in Chermside when he ran a red light in March 2024. The court heard Ian Victor Colwell, 72, had been on his regular morning walk when he was struck by Scott as he crossed that intersection. After briefly stopping his car and making eye contact with a witness, Scott then sped away, leaving Mr Colwell face down on the road with significant injuries including a bleeding and cracked skull. Bystanders called triple-zero, and Mr Colwell was rushed to hospital, but he suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in the ambulance. In the meantime, the court heard Scott drove to a friend's house, and told them what he had done, before changing his clothes. He then called his partner and told her to wipe CCTV footage of him leaving their home in the car that morning, and to delete messages between them. Scott then drove to Wavell Heights where he poured accelerant through the car and set it alight, before heading to work. Crown prosecutor Cameron Wilkins told the court Scott had concocted a story that the car had been stolen and tried to set up an alibi with his boss, in a bid to avoid detection. Mr Wilkins told the court Scott was arrested at his workplace later that morning and initially lied to police, but later confessed, telling them he was "daydreaming" when he hit Mr Colwell. "His conscience got the best of him," he said. The court heard Scott had a lengthy criminal history and had been on a suspended sentence for drug-related charges at the time of the collision. He also had dozens of convictions for driving offences, including 29 for speeding and multiple for drunk and drug-affected driving. "The defendant's traffic history is deplorable," Mr Wilkins said. Reading a victim impact statement on behalf of their family, Mr Colwell's nephew Damian Colwell told the court the "sudden and senseless and violent" death had left them "broken". "Not just the fact he died … but the way his life was cruelly and needlessly taken from us," he said. "Our family gatherings will forever feel incomplete." Mr Colwell said they struggled to comprehend how "such indifference" to human life could exist in the community. "He was struck down without care or compassion and left alone in his final moments," he said. He described Mr Colwell as an "active and generous member of his community". "His leadership and care cannot easily be replaced," he said. The court heard Scott had provided a letter of apology and his parents, who were there to support him, also submitted a letter of reference for their son. When determining his sentence Judge John Allen KC acknowledged the family's heartbreak and accepted the offending had caused "enormous loss and harm". Scott was handed a head sentence of five years and, with time already served, will be eligible to apply for parole in November. He was also disqualified from driving.
9 News
a day ago
- 9 News
Bluey coin bandits wait to learn fate over theft of theft
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Two men will spend months behind bars before learning their fate after stealing more than 60,000 unreleased coins celebrating a popular Australian cartoon. Steven John Neilson, 47, and Nassar Kanj, 45, stole a 500kg pallet of 63,000 limited edition Bluey coins from a western Sydney warehouse in June 2024. Both have pleaded guilty to aggravated break and enter, and committing an indictable offence in company to steal more than $60,000. Two men pleaded guilty to stealing more than 60,000 of the unreleased coins. (Royal Australian Mint ) The pair were given an October 8 date for sentencing in Parramatta District Court today. The prosecutors will have until September 26 to file submissions with the defence to respond by October 3. The stolen coins were created by the Australian Mint for a special release in September 2024. Imprinted were characters of the popular Logie-winning kids' television show Bluey . Some of the mint's limited edition Bluey coins were found with a legitimate coin collector by police in August, but he had to give them up. Neilson and Kanj sold the coins online for 10 times their $1 face value, police say. Detectives also found clothing, power tools and bags also believed to be stolen. (NSW Police) The two men allegedly worked at the warehouse where the coins were stolen. Police seized 189 Bluey c oins and arrested Neilson following a search of a south-west Sydney property in August. Kanj was arrested after police searched another western Sydney home later that month. The 45-year-old was also charged with three more offences of aggravated break and enter committing a serious indictable offence, but those charges were withdrawn. Both men remain in custody. A third person was arrested and charged in October, alleged to be the getaway driver. After her arrest, police found more than 40,000 coins in a storage facility. She will return to court on July 31. Bluey has become a global phenomenon after first airing in Australia on the ABC in 2018. It follows the adventures of a young dog and her family living in suburban Brisbane. national New South Wales police crime Sydney CONTACT US Auto news: Tesla global sales continue year-on-year decline.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
Man denies home invasion that left alleged partner dead
A man accused of a home invasion that led to a grandfather's arm partially severed with an axe and an alleged accomplice's fatal stabbing has denied all charges. Desmond Avery in Lismore District Court on Friday pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering, and aggravated assault with intent to rob. Avery also pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to then 66-year-old Allan Kerr with intent of causing grievous bodily harm. Emergency services were called to a property in Kingscliff, near Tweed Heads in far north NSW, just after 8pm on April 9, 2024. Police found Avery's alleged co-offender, 29-year-old Trae Laurie, dead and Mr Kerr seriously injured. In court on Friday, Judge Craig Everson asked Avery if he was related to world champion surfer Tom Avery, who has links to the NSW south coast. "Yes," Avery said. Investigators alleged Avery and Mr Laurie forced entry into the home while armed with an axe and wearing face coverings to conceal their identities. Mr Laurie was allegedly stabbed in the chest by Mr Kerr in what investigators have described as an act of self-defence after the older man was struck repeatedly with the axe. Mr Kerr was airlifted to Gold Coast University hospital and underwent surgery after having his arm partially severed in the attack. Avery allegedly fled the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla and was arrested the next day at a property in Kingscliff. Mr Kerr did not know Avery or Mr Laurie, police said. Due to a burst water main closing Sydney's Downing Centre court complex and the availability of essential witnesses, Judge Everson set a trial date for March 30. "I'm conscious the accused would then have been in custody for a fair while," Judge Everson said. Crown prosecutor Brendan Campbell said the trial would run for an estimated 10 days. The matter was ordered to return to court for a readiness hearing on February 13. Judge Everson ordered Avery be returned to custody. A man accused of a home invasion that led to a grandfather's arm partially severed with an axe and an alleged accomplice's fatal stabbing has denied all charges. Desmond Avery in Lismore District Court on Friday pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering, and aggravated assault with intent to rob. Avery also pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to then 66-year-old Allan Kerr with intent of causing grievous bodily harm. Emergency services were called to a property in Kingscliff, near Tweed Heads in far north NSW, just after 8pm on April 9, 2024. Police found Avery's alleged co-offender, 29-year-old Trae Laurie, dead and Mr Kerr seriously injured. In court on Friday, Judge Craig Everson asked Avery if he was related to world champion surfer Tom Avery, who has links to the NSW south coast. "Yes," Avery said. Investigators alleged Avery and Mr Laurie forced entry into the home while armed with an axe and wearing face coverings to conceal their identities. Mr Laurie was allegedly stabbed in the chest by Mr Kerr in what investigators have described as an act of self-defence after the older man was struck repeatedly with the axe. Mr Kerr was airlifted to Gold Coast University hospital and underwent surgery after having his arm partially severed in the attack. Avery allegedly fled the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla and was arrested the next day at a property in Kingscliff. Mr Kerr did not know Avery or Mr Laurie, police said. Due to a burst water main closing Sydney's Downing Centre court complex and the availability of essential witnesses, Judge Everson set a trial date for March 30. "I'm conscious the accused would then have been in custody for a fair while," Judge Everson said. Crown prosecutor Brendan Campbell said the trial would run for an estimated 10 days. The matter was ordered to return to court for a readiness hearing on February 13. Judge Everson ordered Avery be returned to custody. A man accused of a home invasion that led to a grandfather's arm partially severed with an axe and an alleged accomplice's fatal stabbing has denied all charges. Desmond Avery in Lismore District Court on Friday pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering, and aggravated assault with intent to rob. Avery also pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to then 66-year-old Allan Kerr with intent of causing grievous bodily harm. Emergency services were called to a property in Kingscliff, near Tweed Heads in far north NSW, just after 8pm on April 9, 2024. Police found Avery's alleged co-offender, 29-year-old Trae Laurie, dead and Mr Kerr seriously injured. In court on Friday, Judge Craig Everson asked Avery if he was related to world champion surfer Tom Avery, who has links to the NSW south coast. "Yes," Avery said. Investigators alleged Avery and Mr Laurie forced entry into the home while armed with an axe and wearing face coverings to conceal their identities. Mr Laurie was allegedly stabbed in the chest by Mr Kerr in what investigators have described as an act of self-defence after the older man was struck repeatedly with the axe. Mr Kerr was airlifted to Gold Coast University hospital and underwent surgery after having his arm partially severed in the attack. Avery allegedly fled the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla and was arrested the next day at a property in Kingscliff. Mr Kerr did not know Avery or Mr Laurie, police said. Due to a burst water main closing Sydney's Downing Centre court complex and the availability of essential witnesses, Judge Everson set a trial date for March 30. "I'm conscious the accused would then have been in custody for a fair while," Judge Everson said. Crown prosecutor Brendan Campbell said the trial would run for an estimated 10 days. The matter was ordered to return to court for a readiness hearing on February 13. Judge Everson ordered Avery be returned to custody. A man accused of a home invasion that led to a grandfather's arm partially severed with an axe and an alleged accomplice's fatal stabbing has denied all charges. Desmond Avery in Lismore District Court on Friday pleaded not guilty to breaking and entering, and aggravated assault with intent to rob. Avery also pleaded not guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to then 66-year-old Allan Kerr with intent of causing grievous bodily harm. Emergency services were called to a property in Kingscliff, near Tweed Heads in far north NSW, just after 8pm on April 9, 2024. Police found Avery's alleged co-offender, 29-year-old Trae Laurie, dead and Mr Kerr seriously injured. In court on Friday, Judge Craig Everson asked Avery if he was related to world champion surfer Tom Avery, who has links to the NSW south coast. "Yes," Avery said. Investigators alleged Avery and Mr Laurie forced entry into the home while armed with an axe and wearing face coverings to conceal their identities. Mr Laurie was allegedly stabbed in the chest by Mr Kerr in what investigators have described as an act of self-defence after the older man was struck repeatedly with the axe. Mr Kerr was airlifted to Gold Coast University hospital and underwent surgery after having his arm partially severed in the attack. Avery allegedly fled the scene in a silver Toyota Corolla and was arrested the next day at a property in Kingscliff. Mr Kerr did not know Avery or Mr Laurie, police said. Due to a burst water main closing Sydney's Downing Centre court complex and the availability of essential witnesses, Judge Everson set a trial date for March 30. "I'm conscious the accused would then have been in custody for a fair while," Judge Everson said. Crown prosecutor Brendan Campbell said the trial would run for an estimated 10 days. The matter was ordered to return to court for a readiness hearing on February 13. Judge Everson ordered Avery be returned to custody.
