Jozsef Buglyo sentenced after fatal crash of motorbike rider Sean Carr in Sylvania

A daughter has spoken about the immense grief of losing her father in a tragic motorbike crash in Sydney’s south and how she has forgiven the driver, a German tourist, who struck him.

Jozsef Buglyo, 29, was sentenced after he pleaded guilty to negligent driving causing death. Picture: Ashleigh Tullis

A daughter has spoken about the immense grief of losing her father in a tragic motorbike crash in Sydney’s south and how she has forgiven the driver, a German tourist, who struck him.

Jozsef Buglyo, 29, sobbed throughout his sentence in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to negligent driving causing death.

Agreed facts tendered to court said Buglyo – who was born in Hungary but lived in Germany where he worked as an electrician – had arrived in Australia with his partner five days prior to the crash as part of a five week holiday.

Buglyo was driving with his partner in a Nissan along the Princes Hwy at Sylvania around 6pm on October 20 when he stopped in a dedicated right hand turning lane for Formosa St waiting for traffic to clear.

Sean Carr, 55, was riding a Harley Davidson straight along the Princes Hwy and had a green light to proceed through the intersection.

Sean Carr was tragically killed in a motorbike crash. Picture: Supplied

Documents said Buglyo looked left for oncoming traffic then turned right into Formosa St but he failed to see the motorbike and they collided.

Mr Carr was thrown from the bike, travelling about 10m in the air before he hit a guardrail and traffic light, then landing on the grass beside the road.

Mr Carr sustained a fractured pelvis, severe injuries to his ribs, lungs, head and leg and internal bleeding before he was flown to St George Hospital where he died the next morning.

Mr Carr’s daughter Tiara told the court in a victim impact statement that her father was the “centre” of her family’s lives.

“He is the kindest, most selfless and thoughtful man you’d ever meet,” she wrote.

“He would give you the shirt off his back, he’d go without to make sure myself, my siblings and mum had everything we needed.

“He was our emotional support and our peace and calm.”

Jozsef Buglyo was sentenced in Sutherland Local Court on Thursday.

Ms Carr said her family were still navigating the shock and grief.

“The pain of losing Dad is so crippling that none of us are even able to function some days.”

She said the family had suffered financially and emotionally, having to move homes with some families seeking counselling.

Ms Carr said milestones were particularly hard without her father.

She also bravely said the family forgave Buglyo because they knew it was a tragic accident and held no hatred towards him.

The court heard Buglyo was on a tourist visa when the crash occurred.

After he was charged, he applied for a criminal justice visa, which is a special temporary visa so a person can lawfully return or remain if their presence in NSW is needed for the justice process.

It was originally denied but the court heard he had been granted the visa last week and his status would be reviewed pending the sentence outcome.

Buglyo’s lawyer Christopher Parkin asked Magistrate Jillian Kiely to consider not convicting him because that would jeopardise his chances of emigrating to Australia in the future with his fiancee, who is an Australian citizen.

Mr Parkin also said an order that would require Buglyo to stay in the country would be “punitive” given his financial and work situation.

The court heard Buglyo had been living with friends, had lost his job and home in Germany and hoped to return home to work again because his English was poor and he would struggle to find employment.

Ms Kiely noted Buglyo was trying to turn across a major thoroughfare around peak hour when the traffic was heavy, and there was no obstructions or other poor conditions making the negligence more serious.

She said the sentence needed to reflect the loss of human life and she acknowledged the victim impact statement and Mr Carr’s family’s grief.

Ms Kiely accepted Buglyo’s deep remorse, heartfelt guilt and grief, acknowledging he had also suffered with flashbacks, panic attacks and insomnia.

Buglyo was placed on a nine-month intensive correction order, which is a jail sentence to be served in the community, and he was disqualified from driving in Australia for three years.

Originally published as Jozsef Buglyo sentenced after fatal crash of motorbike rider Sean Carr in Sylvania