Hunter Valley bus crash driver to appeal ‘manifestly excessive' 32-year prison sentence
Brett Button was handed the sentence in Newcastle District Court in September 2024, which included a non-parole period of 24 years.
The registrar of the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal confirmed the driver would appeal the sentence, and the matter was heard briefly in Sydney's Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday.
Button is appealing on the grounds that his prison term was manifestly excessive, that the sentencing judge erred in finding he 'drove knowing he was under the influence' of painkiller Tramadol, and that the tipping threshold for the bus was 31km/h.
The court had earlier heard Button had taken more Tramadol than his prescribed dose on the day of the crash, and a pain specialist had found he was addicted to the painkiller.
He pleaded guilty last year to 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, downgraded from 10 counts of manslaughter, as well as nine counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm, and 16 counts of driving furiously in a motor vehicle to cause bodily harm.
The Crown prosecutor described Button's appeal as 'unusual,' and the process would take some time.
'As I indicated, a number of victim impact statements, medical reports … quite a volume of documentary evidence,' she said.
The appeal will be heard on October 3.
10 people were killed in the crash including, Zach Bray, Darcy Bulman, Rebecca Mullen, Kyah McBride, Nadene McBridge, Kane Symons, Tori Cowburn, Angus Craig, and Andrew and Lynan Scott.
It has been two years since the crash on Wine Country Drive in Greta on June 11, 2023.
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