Ankur Ankur, 34, sentenced for dangerous driving causing death

An Indian national whose dangerous driving led to the death of an elderly man faces deportation

Ankur Ankur was sentenced to a community corrections order for four years.

A former Geelong mechanic could be detained and deported after he was sentenced for causing a crash in Breakwater that led to the death of an elderly man.

Ankur Ankur was driving along Breakwater Rd in August 2016 when he struck 85-year-old Belmont man Patrick Deagan.

Mr Deagan, a former VFL player, died in hospital 13 days later.

Ankur, an Indian national who’s now 34, was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Thursday over the incident.

Judge John Smallwood said the matter had a “long and complicated history”.

Ankur was sentenced to five years and three months in jail in 2019, but successfully appealed the decision and had his conviction quashed as a result of a judicial error.

Ankur, who moved to Australia in 2009, was released from jail in May 2021 after serving 18 months in custody.

He opted to enter a plea of guilty in the Ballarat County Court in June this year to the charge of dangerous driving causing death.

“The consequences of driving such which results in the death of a person always have unfortunate consequences,” Judge Smallwood said.

Judge Smallwood said whether or not Ankur would be deported was now a matter for the Department of Home Affairs.

“You are on a criminal justice visa at the moment, if and when that is cancelled, you will probably go into immigration detention, so the circumstances are precious in terms of yourself and your family,” Judge Smallwood said.

Judge Smallwood sentenced Ankur to a four-year community corrections order with convictions.

His licence was disqualified for 18 months, which was backdated to December 17, 2019.

“After seven years of living with this and the fear of deportation and all the other matters ... to return you to prison for any period of time would be unfair,” he said.

Ankur drove his 2003 Holden Calais to his friend’s house for his birthday, before picking up two friends in Belmont on August 1, 2016.

As he was approaching an intersection in Breakwater Rd and Barwon Heads Rd, he stopped at a give-way sign and gave way to a couple of vehicles and drove onto Breakwater Rd at excessive speed.

The court was told Ankur lost control of his vehicle and oversteered, ended on the wrong side of the road and crashed into Mr Deagan.

Mr Deagan played for South Melbourne during his time in the Victorian Football League.

Originally published as Ankur Ankur, 34, sentenced for dangerous driving causing death