Latest news with #drunkDriving
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
British woman pleads guilty to killing man in Australia e-scooter crash
A British backpacker pleaded guilty to killing a man in Perth, Australia, by striking him while riding an electric scooter drunk. Alicia Kemp, 25, from Redditch in Worcestershire, admitted to dangerous driving causing death while under the influence of alcohol during an appearance, via video link, at the Perth Magistrates Court on Monday. Prosecutors dropped a second charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm to her passenger. Dangerous driving causing death while intoxicated carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in Australia. Ms Kemp had been drinking with a friend on 31 May before the pair were ejected from a bar. Later that evening, she hired an e-scooter and was travelling at 20-25kmph when she collided with Thanh Phan, a structural engineer, from behind. Mr Phan, 51, described by relatives as a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother, and dear friend', suffered a serious head injury and died in hospital several days later from a brain bleed. Ms Kemp's female passenger, 26, sustained a fractured skull and broken nose, but survived. She herself suffered minor injuries. The court previously heard that Ms Kemp's blood alcohol reading was 0.158 – more than three times the legal limit of 0.05. Prosecutors said CCTV footage showed her 'inexplicably dangerous' riding moments before the accident. Speaking outside the court, defence lawyer Michael Tudori said his client, as a 'young foreign national girl in our prison system', was 'nervous and worried' but relieved the secondary charge had been dropped. 'She's obviously done something stupid at the time,' he said, 'there's consequences, and she just wants to get on with her life.' The collision made Mr Phan the first pedestrian in Western Australia to die in an e-scooter incident, prompting Perth's city council and other local governments to suspend hire schemes. Western Australian law requires e-scooter riders to be over 16, wear a helmet, be sober and not carry any passenger. Ms Kemp, who was in Australia on a working holiday visa, remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in the court for sentencing proceedings on 31 October. Her lawyer said he'd like the sentencing process to be completed before Christmas, adding that her family in the UK was worried.
The Independent
8 hours ago
- The Independent
British woman pleads guilty to killing man in Australia e-scooter crash
A British backpacker pleaded guilty to killing a man in Perth, Australia, by striking him while riding an electric scooter drunk. Alicia Kemp, 25, from Redditch in Worcestershire, admitted to dangerous driving causing death while under the influence of alcohol during an appearance, via video link, at the Perth Magistrates Court on Monday. Prosecutors dropped a second charge of dangerous driving causing bodily harm to her passenger. Dangerous driving causing death while intoxicated carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years in Australia. Ms Kemp had been drinking with a friend on 31 May before the pair were ejected from a bar. Later that evening, she hired an e-scooter and was travelling at 20-25kmph when she collided with Thanh Phan, a structural engineer, from behind. Mr Phan, 51, described by relatives as a 'beloved husband, father of two, brother, and dear friend', suffered a serious head injury and died in hospital several days later from a brain bleed. Ms Kemp's female passenger, 26, sustained a fractured skull and broken nose, but survived. She herself suffered minor injuries. The court previously heard that Ms Kemp's blood alcohol reading was 0.158 – more than three times the legal limit of 0.05. Prosecutors said CCTV footage showed her 'inexplicably dangerous' riding moments before the accident. Speaking outside the court, defence lawyer Michael Tudori said his client, as a 'young foreign national girl in our prison system', was 'nervous and worried' but relieved the secondary charge had been dropped. 'She's obviously done something stupid at the time,' he said, 'there's consequences, and she just wants to get on with her life.' The collision made Mr Phan the first pedestrian in Western Australia to die in an e-scooter incident, prompting Perth's city council and other local governments to suspend hire schemes. Western Australian law requires e-scooter riders to be over 16, wear a helmet, be sober and not carry any passenger. Ms Kemp, who was in Australia on a working holiday visa, remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in the court for sentencing proceedings on 31 October. Her lawyer said he'd like the sentencing process to be completed before Christmas, adding that her family in the UK was worried.
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Yahoo
Aussie driver cops $1000 fine, loses licence in blitz targeting 'concerning' road trend
A young driver has copped a $1000 fine and been banned from the road for six months as Queensland Police "conduct one of their largest simultaneous" safety blitzes in recent years. As the school holidays in the state come to a close, officers are reminding the public of the steep penalties in place for offenders flouting road rules. They warn of a "concerning" rise in "drivers operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcohol" across Brisbane. On June 27, police stopped a 23-year-old Wynnum man for a random breath test at a Shafston Avenue traffic enforcement site in Kangaroo Point. The man allegedly returned a breath analysis reading of 0.152 per cent — three times over the limit. The man was charged with one count of driving under the influence and appeared before the Brisbane Magistrate Court on July 7. There, he was fined $1000 and had his licence disqualified for six months. Throughout the crackdown, numerous other alleged offences were detected on the road. On June 11, police responded to a crash on Dandenong Road where a Mazda collided with a pole. The female driver, the sole occupant, was taken to hospital as a precaution. A blood analysis allegedly showed her alcohol content was 0.141 per cent, nearly three times the legal limit. The 79-year-old woman from Corinda has been charged with one count of driving over the middle alcohol limit and is due to appear at Brisbane Magistrates Court on August 17. On July 10, a man was charged following a single-vehicle crash at Mount Coot-tha. Around 12.20 am, police were called to Scenic Drive after reports that a ute crossed onto the wrong side of the road and crashed. At the police station, the man allegedly returned a breath analysis reading of 0.156 per cent. Major street change avalanche of new car models set to hit Australian market Aussie council responds after local left stunned by $1,000 fine Calls for road rule change as more Aussie cities reduce urban speed limits The vehicle was allegedly unregistered. The 25-year-old Kuraby man has been charged with driving under the influence and driving an unregistered vehicle. He is due to appear in court on August 5. South Brisbane District Acting Inspector Stephen Gough urged motorists to take accountability for their actions and think twice before they "get behind the wheel after drinking". "A split-second decision can lead to tragic life-long consequences," he warned. Across the city, more than 200 police from highway patrol units and general duties police conducted large-scale random breath test (RBT) and random drug tests (RDT). A total of 6,731 RBTs and 454 RDTs were conducted, detecting 18 people driving under the influence of alcohol and 21 people driving under the influence of drugs. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Revealed: Footy great's 'gut-wrenching' act straight after he killed the 'love of his life' in horror crash when he was more than four times over the drink-drive limit
Former Geelong player Ray Card pleaded guilty on Monday to a charge of culpable driving causing the death of his wife, Amanda McDonald, during a car accident following a wedding in Lara on Saturday, November 16, 2024. The County Court of Victoria heard that Card, 68, had a blood alcohol reading of 0.226 following the crash. Card had also pleaded guilty to a second charge of causing serious injury to a 19-year-old woman, who had been in a separate car travelling in the other direction at the time the incident occurred. The court heard that Card and McDonald, who was described as the 'love of his life', had been drinking before leaving the wedding to drive home in the former footballer's Ford Ranger. The pair had stopped at a restaurant before driving onto the Ring Road heading towards Bacchus Marsh Road. They went around a bend and saw headlights coming towards them, with Card braking before swerving right across the road into the opposite lane. Both cars collided on their passenger sides, and McDonald was killed in the crash. Card (pictured) also pleaded guilty to a second charge of causing serious injury to a 19-year-old woman, who had to be airlifted to hospital The 19-year-old woman, who was sitting in the passenger seat of the other car, a BWM, was airlifted to The Alfred Hospital and later underwent multiple surgeries. On Monday, Card's barrister, Geoff Steward, also told the court that the body camera footage captured following the accident showed the former AFL player's 'Gut-wrenching, life-changing, grief-stricken remorse'. 'It's hard to watch, his despair, his grief,' Steward said. He then pointed to how Card's immediate concern was for his wife and not himself. The former Geelong player had also shown his remorse to the 19-year-old woman who was injured in the crash, writing her a letter to apologise. He had also asked for his own bail to be revoked. McDonald's family had also been forgiving of Card, with Steward calling their statement an 'extraordinary' display of support. Steward noted one of McDonald's daughters said that Card 'always will be a part of this family.' In total, 14 character references were given by the defence. Former Geelong captain Damien Bourke was among those who appeared in court. Bourke said: 'Ray's always been one to give himself, rather than take anything.' Crown Prosecutor Jordan Johnson also read victim impact statements to the court. In one statement, the parents of the 19-year-old, who was airlifted to hospital following the incident, expressed their terror after finding out about the crash and had driven to the site of the incident, before heading to the Geelong hospital and then The Alfred, searching for their daughter. They added that she had suffered 'terrible stress' during her long and slow recovery. The woman has suffered from PTSD as a result and had spent her 20th birthday, Christmas and New Year in a wheelchair. She has also suffered from concussion symptoms and pain. 'It breaks my heart to see her suffer like this,' her mother wrote. Card made 110 appearances for Geelong between 1977 and 1987.
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Woman caught drunk at the wheel of her car at 4.30am is spared driving ban after insisting she only sat in the driver's seat to 'keep warm'
A woman who was caught drunk while at the wheel of her car at 4.30am has been spared a driving ban after insisting she had only sat in the driver's seat to keep warm. Katie Scragg, 23, had been on a night out with her sister in Congleton, Cheshire, when she decided to return to her Seat Ibiza, which was parked near a Wetherspoons. A passing police patrol had spotted the part-time Tesco worker in the driver's seat with the lights on and engine running. But when the officer parked his car behind, the Seat stalled before Scragg admitted she had three drinks. She failed a roadside breathalyser, with tests later showing she was nearly three times over the legal limit. At Crewe magistrates' court, Scragg, who lives in a £600,000 converted dairy in the rural village of Smallwood, near Sandbach, faced a road ban. But she was instead given ten points on her licence after prosecutors accepted her plea of guilty to being drunk in charge of a motor vehicle. She had denied drink driving. Molly Broster prosecuting said: 'On October 13 at approximately 4.30am a PC Shields was on mobile patrol when he came across the defendant's vehicle in Antrobus Street car park in Congleton, behind Wetherspoon's. 'It was parked up with the lights illuminated and the engine running. The officer positioned his car behind the defendant but the car stalled. 'After the officer went to speak to the driver, she said she'd had three drinks before then being subsequently breathalysed.' After failing a roadside breath test, further tests showed she had 94 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. The legal limit is 35mg. In mitgation defence lawyer Jessica Foster said Scragg works part-time at Tesco and part-time for her father who has a business selling cars. 'She is 23 years old, has a clean licence and has never been arrested or before the court before. 'She had been out with her sister and had gone to the car to keep warm. She had no intention of driving but does accept being in charge. She has definitely learnt her lesson.' Scragg was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £165 in costs and surcharge. JP John Bache said: 'I am sure you realise the seriousness of driving under the influence of alcohol. You are not charged with that but you are with being in charge of a vehicle. 'You understand the importance of not being in charge of a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol. 'We are endorsing your licence with 10 points and what that means any driving offences and you will be a totter and will lose your licence.
