Two years’ jail for texting driver Jakob Thornton who crashed into RBT
A driver who sent dozens of texts before he ploughed into two police officers in Sydney’s southeast has been jailed for at least two years.
A driver who sent dozens of texts before ploughing into two police officers has been jailed for at least two years after a judge found he took his eyes off the road for a staggering 300m.
The court heard serial traffic offender Jakob Thornton, 23, was looking at his phone for up to 20 seconds before he smashed into the two senior constables at a Leumeah RBT stop in February last year.
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Surgeons were forced to amputate Jonathan Wright’s leg below the knee while Matthew Foley suffered a fractured leg in the crash on Campbelltown Rd.
Both sat in Downing Centre District Court yesterday, supported by their families as Judge John Hatzistergos handed down the sentence of three years and eight months’ jail with two years non-parole.
“This was not an instance of momentary inattention or misjudgment,” Judge Hatzistergos said. “Rather, it was an irresponsible abdication of responsibility for an extended period from someone who selfishly prioritised communications with his girlfriend.”
Judge Hatzistergos said it could not be disputed that Thornton travelled 300m looking at his phone instead of the road. The court heard Thornton had a lengthy traffic history and his licence was separately suspended in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 due to loss of demerit points. Judge Hatzistergos said so many suspensions in such a short period of time without any “desire to change his driving behaviour” was “of serious concern”.
Thornton, who pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving, told police he picked up his phone to read a message and “by the time I looked up the police car was there”. He said he did not see the flashing lights because the car’s boot was open.
“The collision had nothing to do with any obscurity of victims but rather the inattentiveness of the offender,” Judge Hatzistergos said. But he said Thornton, who has been diagnosed with a major depressive disorder, was remorseful and had good prospects of rehabilitation.
In a letter tendered to the court Thornton wrote: “Causing that much damage for such a stupid mistake has weighed very heavily on myself and I am sure that it will follow me for the rest of my life.
“I truly hope that through my grave mistake, people can learn, so that all of the pain I caused was not for nothing.”
Outside court Traffic and Highway Patrol Acting Commander Greg Rolph said senior constables Foley and Wright were “satisfied” with the sentence.
“The message is quite clear from the court about the conduct of this person and driving a motor vehicle and being distracted and the devastating consequences that might result,” he said.
With time already served Thornton will be eligible for parole in January 2021.
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