Killer jetski rider Daniel Patrick Liddell jailed for Murbko crash which killed Cooper Henke
A jetski rider who crashed into an orange inflatable kayak – killing a teenage boy – took puffs of methamphetamine before the horror incident to quell a hangover.
Police & Courts
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A first-time jetski rider had a substance-induced overconfidence when he failed to see two young boys in an inflatable orange kayak and struck them – killing one – on the River Murray, a court has heard.
Mining worker Daniel Patrick Liddell, 44, of Craigmore struck and killed 14-year-old Cooper Henke and injured his 10-year-old friend Hunter Denman in the mid afternoon on December 16 last year.
In sentencing in the District Court on Thursday, Judge Michael Burnett said Liddell’s conduct was “very serious”.
Liddell was staying with work colleagues at a shack at Murbko, between Blanchetown and Morgan, to celebrate the end of his work year, which had left him “burnt out”.
He drank heavily with 15-20 work mates the night before, continued drinking steadily the following morning and had two puffs of methamphetamine to help abate his hangover.
He then asked to borrow a friend’s jetski about 2pm after watching others use the vessel.
After skylarking and doing doughnuts, he was returning to shore, but failed to see the boys’ kayak which was about 20m from the river’s edge.
Judge Burnett said it was Liddell’s grossly deficient lookout and overconfidence that caused the crash.
“There were many persons enjoying the river who were in a vulnerable position such as the victims,” he said.
“Those persons cannot take evasive action and are vulnerable to someone like you who is keeping a grossly deficient lookout and was operating a vessel that was much more powerful and moved a lot faster than the kayaks being operated by the victims.”
He said Liddell’s blood alcohol level of at least 0.08 and the two puffs of methamphetamine he smoked to abate his hangover “posed an unacceptable risk” and “led to an overconfidence” in operating the jet ski for the first time.
“Your grossly deficient lookout was not a momentary lapse,” he said.
“The kayak in which the victims were seated was always visible and should have been able to be seen by you had you kept a proper lookout well before the collision.”
Liddell pleaded guilty to aggravated charges of causing death by dangerous driving and causing harm by dangerous driving at his first court appearance.
Judge Burnett said Liddell’s conduct had a devastating effect on both victim’s families, some of whom were in another kayak nearby, at the time.
He said Liddell had immediately gone to Cooper’s aid, holding his head out of water and co-operated with police.
“The letter of apology you read to the court was very sincere and heartfelt. You have shown insight to your offending,” he said.
“You will live with your actions for the rest of your life.”
He said Liddell, who pleaded guilty at his first court appearance, had no criminal history whatsoever and was “very unlikely” to reoffend.
After discounts for his early pleas of guilty, Judge Burnett imposed a jail term of three years and 22 days with a non-parole period of two years and three months. He said Liddell’s crimes were too serious to suspend or serve the sentence on home detention.
Outside court, a supporter of the victims said the jail term “wasn’t enough” for his crimes.
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