Sophie Brine was breaking nearly every road rule when she killed Jatinder Singh Brar in Salisbury South, court hears
When Sophie Brine fatally struck a young delivery driver, she was high on drugs, speeding, on her phone and driving disqualified while fleeing police in a stolen car – and it wasn’t the first time she’d killed someone.
Police & Courts
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The atrocious criminality of a young woman whose dangerous driving killed a hardworking truckie has been condemned in court as the mother of her victim said she now has “no hope and nothing to live for”.
Jatinder Singh Brar, 25, was killed after Sophie Louise Brine crashed her stolen white Ford Territory into his Woolworths delivery truck on Kings Rd, Salisbury South, on January 4 last year.
The District Court heard on Monday how Brine, who killed one of her best friends in a car-surfing incident in 2010, was breaking almost every road rule at the time.
Mr Brar, 25, died instantly after being crushed inside the truck’s cabin.
Brine, of Taperoo, is facing life behind bars after admitting killing him while high on drugs, speeding, using her phone and driving disqualified while trying to evade police in a stolen car.
She had also been handed a good behaviour bond just days earlier for traffic offences.
She fled the scene, driving dangerously and narrowly avoiding further accidents before she was spotted near her home and later arrested. She had methamphetamine in her system.
Prosecutors said her crime spree was among the most serious to have come before the state’s courts.
She had pleaded guilty to aggravated charges of causing death by dangerous driving, drive or use motor vehicle without consent, drive dangerously to escape police and leaving the scene of the accident after causing harm.
On Monday Mr Brar’s mother and brother laid bare their grief in emotional victim impact statements as Brine wept in the dock.
Read by prosecutor Darren Evans, his mother Kulwinder Kaur told how “my life and my reason to live ended” when informed of his death.
Her health is now very poor, she uses sleeping pills as she battles to survive. She lives alone because in Indian culture daughters are married off and provide support to her husband’s family.
“Nothing worse can happen to a mother than for her young son to die like this,” she wrote.
“I am left feeling always sad. Jatinder was my only hope and now I have no hope and nothing to live for.
“I hope that (Brine) is given the maximum penalty that can be imposed.”
Her other son, Beant Kaur, urged justice.
“I believe in the law,” he wrote in his statement. “They should punish the woman who took away everything in a minute.
“So that my brother will get justice and the innocent lives will not be ruined any further.
“And I hope that my mum and I get a chance to spend time with my brother’s memories in Adelaide. Justice for my brother. Justice Please.”
Mr Evans said Brine’s crime showed a disregard for society. “She could not have done anything more wrong than she did,” he said,
Brine read an apology from the dock before Jason Evitts urged Judge Joanne Tracey to show mercy in balancing punishment with a need for rehabilitation.
He said she had a poor childhood blighted by violence as well as alcohol and drug abuse.
CCTV and dashcam footage was shown leading up to the crash.
Judge Tracey remanded Brine in custody. She will impose a non-parole period when she sentences next month.