Nick Campo's mum ‘disappointed' as driver jailed for 3 years
The teen behind the wheel in the horror crash that killed young footballer Nick Campo has learned his fate, with the judge saying the circumstances made the tragedy 'all but inevitable'.
Mr Campo had just had his 18th birthday party and was on his way to a Leederville nightclub with four friends when the driver lost control of his Toyota Hilux in North Lake just before midnight on July 13, 2024.
The driver, who cannot be identified because he was 17 at the time, was handed a jail term of three years and two months on Wednesday.
A recent trial of issues was told the now 18-year-old and three passengers had taken cocaine, and were racing to beat the nightclub's lock-out time.
The driver reached 133km/h on North Lake Road and was seen driving through a red light before the tragedy unfolded.
The driver had made extensive illegal modifications to his car, including unbolting the front passenger seat and rotating 180 degrees so it faced the rear passenger seat because 'he thought it looked cool'.
Three of the passengers were not wearing seatbelts, with two found to be inaccessible, and the vehicle's front suspension stabiliser bar, which reduces roll when turning, was missing.
The driver pleaded guilty to all six serious charges against him, including manslaughter.
He will be eligible for parole after serving 19 months and has been behind bars since November, when he surrendered his bail.
Outside court, Mr Campo's devastated mother Bianca Campo said the 'broken' family was disappointed with the sentence. Outside court, Mr Campo's devastated mother Bianca Campo said the 'broken' family was disappointed with the sentence. Credit: Justin Benson-Cooper / The West Australian
'We don't feel that it is enough and I really don't think it sets a very good example for young people,' she told reporters.
'Nick was a really good kid and he was very much loved by all of us.
'Please, just please, just make sure your kids, they know to do the right thing when they get into cars, because this is like a pain that's unbearable.'
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