Connor Flahey sentenced for dangerous driving

A young Hills Shire carpenter sobbed in court as a magistrate detailed the severe, near-fatal injuries suffered by a teen who was “ejected” from his ute in an incident allegedly provoked by $450 worth of vapes.

Connor Flahey at Parramatta Local Court on April 5.

A northwest Sydney carpenter sobbed as a magistrate detailed the horrific injuries sustained by a man who was “ejected” from his car.

Connor Flahey, 22, faced Parramatta Local Court to be sentenced for dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm after another man was severely injured when he was “ejected” from his car during an incident in Kellyville on January 4, 2021.

The Rouse Hill carpenter had pleaded not guilty to the offence but Magistrate Cate Follent found him guilty at a defended hearing at Parramatta Local Court in February.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions had alleged Flahey had driven two friends, and another acquaintance, to Kellyville so one of the men could buy 25 vapes he had seen advertised on Snapchat.

In documents tendered to the court, the ODPP alleged the acquaintance, who was a friend of one of the other passengers, had promised $450 for the vapes – but instead shut Flahey’s passenger door and ordered him to drive away without paying.

Connor Flahey at Parramatta Local Court on April 5.

The 17-year-old victim had attempted to wrestle back the vapes before Flahey drove away, causing him to fall face down on the road.

When emergency services arrived, they found the teen unconscious in the road in a pool of his own blood and he later flatlined for five minutes in an ambulance to the hospital.

Ms Follent said Flahey’s conduct in driving the vehicle without conducting checks when he knew the victim was in the vicinity was “inherently dangerous”.

“He heard a thud sound but continued to drive to distance himself from the situation,” Ms Follent said.

“I found he drove off with a not insignificant acceleration, the victim was ejected, and landed face down.”

The man injured due to Flahey’s driving spent 25 days in the intensive care unit with life-threatening injuries that required emergency brain surgery and other procedures.

The victim sustained a pelvic haematoma, he lost three teeth, his left eye socket was set back, his jaw was disfigured, and he has lost his sense of smell.

Ms Follent said without timely medical intervention, it was likely the victim would have died.

The magistrate accepted Flahey had not planned the offences and had called emergency services for assistance due to his concern for the victim.

Flahey’s parents comforted him as he cried and shook in the courtroom while the magistrate listed the victim’s grievous injuries.

“The author (of a sentence assessment report) formed the view he has accepted responsibility for his actions, though he maintained he saw a knife in the vehicle, which I rejected and do not accept,” Ms Follent said.

“He has demonstrated insight into the impact of his offending on the victim.”

Flahey’s barrister Matthew McAuliffe had appealed to the court not to find Flahey’s conduct crossed the custodial sentence threshold.

However, Ms Follent found the “significant physical and emotional harm” Flahey caused to the victim was too serious to be dealt with through a community correction order.

She convicted Flahey and sentenced him to a two-year intensive correction order with 200 hours of community service and an 18-month disqualification from driving.

He will also be required to complete the traffic offenders program and engage in mental health counselling to redirect him from negative social influences.