Prosecutors drop murder charge against Michael Henley, accept manslaughter charge for wild crash that killed Nick Darling

This man chased two men in his car at high speed, repeatedly ramming their vehicle and killing one, after years of anger over sex, women and vandalism.

A driver chased and repeatedly rammed another car at high speed, killing its passenger, due to “an accumulation of grievances” and anger over sex, women and vandalism, a court has heard.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard Michael Charles Henley pursued driver Lewis Bennett and passenger Nick Darling over bridges, down walking tracks, through reserves and across war memorials.

It heard his speed was so excessive that his Ford sedan threw “sparks” as it went over bumps, and that he “took run-ups” to ram into Mr Bennett’s ute, killing Mr Darling.

Killer driver Michael Charles Henley. Picture: SA Police

Nick Darling was killed in the crash. Picture: Facebook

It also heard Henley had posted social media videos threatening to ram into other people and, hours before the crash, sent an SMS saying “I want to pound my car” into the duo.

Henley, 24, was due to stand trial for murder over the crash – on Flaxmill Rd, Morphett Vale in July 2021 – but instead pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Michael Foundas, prosecuting, accepted that plea and told the court the incident had its origin in Henley’s “history” Mr Bennett and Mr Darling.

“Henley had been in a relationship with a woman named Kayla Short … Mr Bennett, at some point, commenced a sexual relationship with Ms Short,” he said.

“That caused a degree of animosity between Henley and Mr Bennett.

“Separate to that, Mr Darling had been in a relationship with a woman named Ruby Dayman, who had been involved with Henley – which caused a degree of animosity.

“Henley’s pursuit was actuated by anger arising from a combination of Mr Bennett’s sexual involvement with Ms Short, Mr Bennett and Mr Darling inflicting damage upon Henley’s car, and an accumulation of grievances over a number of months and years.”

Nick Darling with his girlfriend, Ruby Dayman. Picture: Supplied

Henley posted hooning videos to his social media accounts days prior to the crash. Picture: Facebook

Mr Foundas said that, on the day of the crash – the first day of SA’s Covid-19 lockdown – Mr Bennett and Mr Darling had damaged Henley’s car with a cinderblock and stick.

They then ran back to the ute and drove away, with Henley and two of his friends giving chase in his sedan.

“On CCTV footage, Henley’s vehicle can be seen moving at such speed that it causes sparks when it goes over speed bumps … neighbours could hear tyres screaming,” he said.

He said that, when Mr Bennett’s ute stalled, Henley twice drove away, did a U-turn and “came back down with a run-up” to slam into it.

The fatal crash, he said, occurred after Mr Bennett started driving again – the impact caused the vehicle to flip, roll three times and “skid to a halt”.

“(One of Henley’s passengers) told him to stop but he refused and continued to cruise on,” he said.

“He later dumped the car and returned, by motorbike, to set it on fire.”

Justice Sandi McDonald remanded Henley in custody, and will view CCTV footage of the chase on Thursday.