Blue Haven: Sergeant Matthew James Kelly’s manslaughter trial continues
A Central Coast police officer charged with the manslaughter of a motorcyclist he allegedly ran over later told his boss “I killed a bloke tonight”, a court has heard.
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A police officer was seen to be distressed and “bewildered” after a fatal collision with an unregistered trail bike and later told his commanding officer “I killed a man tonight, I just don’t know how he ended up under the car”, a court has heard.
Tuggerah Lakes Police sergeant Matthew James Kelly is facing trial in the Downing Centre District Court after pleading not guilty to the manslaughter of 28-year-old Jack Roberts at Blue Haven in the early hours of April 16, 2020.
The 50-year-old, of Kariong, has also pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving occasioning Mr Roberts’ death.
Police allege Sgt Kelly was driving with “gross criminal negligence” a marked police vehicle, with the call sign Tuggerah Lakes 14, in pursuit of an unregistered trail bike on Blue Haven Way when the two vehicles collided, killing the rider Mr Roberts.
Giving evidence, Tuggerah Lakes Superintendent John Gralton told the court he arrived at the scene about 3.40am to find Sgt Kelly sitting on the road with his back against a guardrail.
“He was quite shell shocked, in my view,” Supt Gralton said.
“He was incredibly stressed ... he just looked quite bewildered.”
Supt Gralton said he offered support to the officers present before a decision was made to drive Sgt Kelly back to Wyong Police Station.
In the car, Supt Gralton said Sgt Kelly told him “I killed a bloke tonight or words to that effect”.
“He said ‘I’ve killed a man tonight, I just don’t really know how he ended up under the car’,” Supt Gralton said.
The court heard the unregistered dirt bike was fitted with an “after market” headlight, which was not switched on at the time.
Supt Gralton told the court he also would have been suspicious of a motorcycle driving on the road without a headlight at that time of night and described Sgt Kelly as “an outstanding officer”.
Asked if Sgt Kelly was likely to have acted as a “cowboy” on the road Supt Gralton replied: “Not to my knowledge, no”.
Another officer, Detective Senior Constable Matthew Eriksson, told the court he also arrived to find Sgt Kelly “in distress” but concerned about “his troops” — his fellow officers, at the scene.
“That’s just the way he was,” Sen Con Eriksson said.
Sen Con Eriksson said he breath tested Sgt Kelly at the scene, which returned a negative result and asked him what happened.
“He said the motorbike was going up the wrong side of the road,” Sen Con Eriksson said.
The court has previously heard police searched Mr Roberts’ clothing and backpack at the scene for his identification and found a wallet, knife, several resealable bags containing a crystal-like substance and a broken `ice’ pipe.
The trial continues.
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