International student pays family $20k in compensation after destroying Cringila home
A Saudi Arabian father is set to help cover huge compensation costs after his son left a family homeless when he crashed his car into a Wollongong home. In an interesting twist, the international student has also had his court sentence pushed back.
Illawarra Star
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A University of Wollongong engineering student has paid a young family $20,000 in compensation, after he smashed through the front of Cringila home while his licence was suspended, destroying their property and leaving them homeless.
Abdullah Hakami, 21, faced Port Kembla Local Court on Wednesday, where it was revealed his father in Saudi Arabia was intending to hand over a further $19,000 in compensation, after he crashed his car through the front of Ainsley and Guy Lennard’s Lake Ave home, leaving their lives and house in ruins.
It was just after 3.30am on Saturday, August 24 when Hakami lost control of his Holden Cruze, crossed to the opposite side of the road and smashed through the front bedroom of the Lennard’s home.
The car narrowly missed Mr and Mrs Lennard, who frantically scrambled to find their three-year-old-daughter Lila, who had been buried under the rubble.
Fortunately, she was unharmed but was taken to hospital as a precaution. When police arrived at the scene, police facts tendered to the court revealed Hakami made full admissions about driving the vehicle.
“I was going about 70km/h on the left hand side of the road,” he told police. “I lost control of the car, I don’t know what happened.”
Court documents revealed Hakami’s learner’s license was suspended for three months on May 19, after he was caught driving without a licensed supervisor. Weeks later on June 4, he was again caught driving, this time on the M1 Princes Motorway at Gwynneville. His licence was again suspended for three months.
But, that didn’t stop the 21-year-old from getting back behind the wheel on August 24, which this time led to the destruction of a family home.
Hakami, who pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and driving while disqualified last month, was due to be sentenced by Magistrate Roger Clisdell on Wednesday, but his defence lawyer John Peluso argued sentencing should be held off until the rest of the compensation was paid.
Magistrate Clisdell agreed, after hearing Hakami’s father had planned to pay the remaining balance of $18,886 within the next “two to three weeks”.
Mr Peluso also argued against any possible jail time, noting his client was truly remorseful, and was otherwise a young man of good character.
“He is respectful of other people normally, academically he is a very sound hard working student,” he said.
“He’s taken this really badly, because he accepts the danger he put people into.”
Mr Peluso said Hakami had put his uni degree on hold following the accident, telling the court “he’s been so upset and hasn’t been able to focus”.
While Hakami has already paid Mr and Mrs Lennard $20,000, outside court, the couple said the money meant little to them.
“We lost a lot of personal belongings that we can’t replace,” Mrs Lennard said.
“At the moment it just helps us get by.”
While they’ve since moved into a new home, Mrs Lennard said she was still struggling to cope with the events that happened on August 24.
“I’m not working and I’m not studying,” Mrs Lennard said. “I was offered a scholarship just before this … my life is on hold because of this.”
Hakami, who was supported by friends in court on Wednesday, will return for sentencing on December 13.