Ian Peter Clarke labelled a ‘heartless coward’ by the victims of his dangerous driving which killed Leanne Smith in 2015
The family of a woman killed in a crash caused by a speeding driver waited almost five years to hear him admit his guilt. And now they have had the opportunity to face him, labelling him a “heartless coward”.
Police & Courts
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A methamphetamine affected driver who was speeding at more than 200km/h in the seconds before a crash which killed a mother and seriously injured her son has been labelled a “heartless coward” by his victims’ family.
Ian Peter Clarke, 50, took almost five years from the time of the crash to finally plead guilty to his role in the death of Leanne Smith, 51, in May 2015 on the Sturt Highway at Annadale.
He was charged with causing Ms Smith’s death by aggravated dangerous driving and seriously injuring her son Ryan, who suffered life threatening injures and scars which still cause him pain.
During sentencing submissions on Thursday in the District Court, Ms Smith’s sons Ryan and Kale, husband Steve, sister Jill Romeo, as well as her mother and brother, detailed the effect of the horrific crash on their lives.
Ms Romeo said that immense further damage and heartache had been caused to the family by Clarke’s refusal to take responsibility.
“I had to wait 1749 days, one day short of 250 weeks, to hear you admit your guilt,” she told the court.
“Your utter disregard for the lives of others is so apparent in your lack of remorse and responsibility for what you have done.”
Ryan Smith, who suffered burns to his hands and smoke damage to his lungs in the crash, said his mother was the “glue that held our family together”.
“I don’t know how she always knew the right answer to the day to day stuff but she did,” he said in his victim impact statement.
“Just mum stuff, and I miss that and I miss her. It breaks my heart that she is no longer here.
“I know she always wanted to be a grandma and it just kills me that she will not be here to see that. We all loved her because she was an incredibly kind and loving person.”
He said he was not able to make sense of why Clarke had been driving in such a dangerous way.
“You were unharmed but chose not to help when you could have, that is the act of a heartless coward,” he said.
Ms Smith’s husband Steve said he was a forgiving person but would never be able to forgive Clarke for his actions that night.
“It is not something I can forget that you tried so hard to get out (taking accountability) for what you did,
“I don’t understand how someone could not take responsibility for doing this to another person.”
Clarke initially had charges dropped when conflicting reports by road crash experts could not pinpoint his speed before he crashed into the back of Ms Smith’s car.
Ms Romeo helped police apply to have data from Clarke’s car analysed, leading to the discovery that he had been driving at 209km/h five seconds before the crash.
Taking into account braking, the court heard that Clarke was travelling at 168.5km/h when he hit the other car.
Clarke was rearrested and charged again in October 2018 but maintained his innocence until March this year.
Clarke’s lawyer said his client had fractured memories of the incident and had been relying on the reports and the advice of his lawyers to make a decision on whether to plead guilty.
He is also facing jail time for breaching good behaviour bonds for assaulting a police officer and social security fraud.
District Court Judge Patrick O’Sullivan ordered Clarke’s bail be cancelled and for the man to be taken into custody until sentencing next month.