Libby Ruge fatal: Two drivers who killed Kiama teen sentenced

The soon-to-be fiance of Kiama teenager Libby Ruge has described how their bright future was ripped away from them after a tragic crash as the two men responsible learned their fate. Read the full “poignant and heartbreaking” victim impact statements.

Two Indian nationals whose dangerous driving claimed the life of much-loved Kiama teenager Libby Ruge had not taken full responsibility for their action, a court has heard.

Judge Julia Baly sentenced Jaskaran Singh and Arpan Shamra in Wollongong District Court on Tuesday, nearly two years on from the horrific crash in the city’s CBD.

Ms Ruge, 19, was struck down by a Toyota Camry being driven by the pair as she walked along the footpath outside the Collegians club on November 7, 2020.

The aspiring dentist had been enjoying a much-anticipated night out with her boyfriend Luke Day and friends Eva Harrison and Tye West after Covid restrictions had been eased.

Singh was in the driver‘s seat of the Camry as Sharma ripped up the handbrake three times over a few hundred metres, with Justice Baly ultimately determining both men were driving the car when it careered into the young revellers.

Singh was found guilty after a five-day trial to three counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm and not rendering assistance as a driver earlier this year.

While Sharma entered a final hour guilty plea to three counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and grievous bodily harm.

Jaskaran Singh.

Apran Sharma

The court was flooded with emotion as Ms Ruge’s parents, Julie Ruge and Jules Harrison, delivered victim impact statements along with Mr Day and Eva Harrison.

Ms Ruge’s mothers courageously told the court how their hearts had been “ripped out” that night, leaving them as an ”empty shell” and unable to work or socialise.

Her friend, Eva Harrison, who sustained serious injuries in the crash, held back tears as she told the court, “seeing your best friend die right in front of you doesn‘t leave you” with it ”staying on repeat for most hours of the day”.

Ms Ruge’s boyfriend and soon-to-be fiance, Luke Day, delivered his statement through Crown prosecutor Nerissa Keay with Mr Day telling the court about the future they had planned to share together.

Libby Ruge and her boyfriend Luke Day. Picture: Supplie

“I would have given her everything she ever wanted,” Mr Day’s statement said.

“We were so excited for our future. This was taken from us.”

The defence barristers of Singh and Sharma made last-minute attempts to show the remorse of their clients.

However, Justice Baly said those efforts, including calling Sharma into the witness box to apologise, were “of little weight at this stage”, especially given Ms Ruge had only just told the court she no longer wanted an apology because it was “far too late for that”.

Libby Ruge was an aspiring dentist. Picture: Supplied

“Mr Singh ought to have stopped driving or told Mr Sharma not to engage the hand brake,” the judge said as she handed down her sentence.

“He was very much the driver, I do not accept Mr Singh was morally less culpable.

“I find Mr Sharma pulled the handbrake on all three occasions … He tried to shift the blame to Mr Singh. [The final time the hand brake was engaged] wasn‘t done in panic, it was showing off.”

“I am not convinced on balance Mr Sharma has taken full responsibility for the seriousness of his conduct. Mr Singh has written a letter and I accept he is sorry and regretful, but in a similar vein he too has not taken full responsibility for his conduct.“

Justice Baly said the victim impact statements were “poignant and heartbreaking” and described the photographs of Ms Ruge as showing a ”smiling, happy, young woman who was clearly loved and cherished”.

Justice Baly sentenced Singh to six-years imprisonment with a non-parole period of four years, while Sharma was sentenced to five years behind bars with a non-parole period of three years and four months.

Supporters of Jaskaren Singh leaving Wollongong Courthouse alongside lawyer Patrick Schmidt on Tuesday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

With time already served, Singh and Sharma will be eligible for parole in May 2026 and August 2025, respectively.

Singh‘s student visa has been revoked, meaning he will be deported at the completion of his sentence, and Sharma indicated in court he would also be returning to his country of birth.

Outside court Ms Ruge‘s mothers and Mr Day front the media and expressed their gratitude for the “very strong and very fair” outcome.

Family and friends of Libby Ruge leaving Wollongong Courthouse on Tuesday. Picture: Dylan Arvela

“We‘re glad that it’s over and I hope that they accept this now,” Julie Ruge said.

“I hope that it‘s a lesson to everyone else out there. The tragedies going on out there can’t keep happening, there’s so many families going through what we’re going through.”

When asked about if they were moved by the late indications of remorse, Jules Harrison said, “If they want to show remorse they can accept the sentence they handed down … and don‘t appeal it.”

The “poignant and heartbreaking” victim impact statements

Julie Ruge (biological mother)

How do I put into words the impact of my daughter being killed through no fault of her own?

How do you measure the impact?

For the last 19 years, Lib has been my purpose and a huge part of my identity.

She was not only my baby daughter, she was also my best friend.

Libby was the kindest, crazy, funny girl, who lit up the room when she walked in

For the last 19 years we did everything together, horse riding, cheerleading, dancing, model shoots, shopping, teaching her to drive and planning hers and our future.

We were so proud watching her play her cello with the Junior Orchestra at the Wollongong Conservatorium.

Hearing a cello, seeing a mother and teenage daughter together chatting rips my heart out.

Since that night I no longer see joy in this world.

Libby’s parents Jules Harrison and Julie Ruge outside Wollongong Courthouse. Picture: Dylan Arvela

I no longer attend any social events.

I rarely leave my home.

I have become very isolated.

I have two other children and four grandchildren.

I love them dearly, but since that night they have been left with an empty shell.

It is exhausting putting on a brave face every day.

I wake up to the nightmare that my daughter was killed.

I don‘t sleep and if I do, I am haunted by the nightmares.

Luke called us at 10.30pm that night, hysterical. I wasn‘t even sure it was him.

He stated Libby had been hit by a car and “they ran away” he said, you have to come now to Collegians.

I remember thinking over and over “she will be ok”, this doesn‘t happen to us.

We are not those people.

We quickly organised someone to come and stay with our three grandsons who were staying for the weekend and called Luke‘s parents to tell them we were on our way to pick them up, as the kids had been in some kind of accident?

When we reached the roundabout near Collegians and saw the mass of flashing blue and red lights, we all knew it was bad.

The sound of sirens and flashing lights is now one of the many triggers that renders me frozen with my hands firmly over my ears, followed by debilitating panic attacks.

The reason I rarely drive anymore

We desperately tried to run to her, only to be stopped by the police, explaining they were still working on her and preparing to take her by chopper to St George Hospital.

The plan changed within minutes.

We were told, there are signs of life, but she wasn‘t going to make it to the helicopter.

We were instructed to contact her brother Dan, sister in law Elle and sister Stevie, who were on their way to St George and tell them to meet us at Wollongong Hospital.

After being told they were unable to save her, my beautiful baby, I asked if we could donate Libby‘s organs, as they explained she had severe head injuries.

I was told there was nothing viable as she had in fact been gone too long.

We were led into the room to see her.

Libby Ruge and her mums Julie Ruge (left) and Jules Harrison. Picture: Supplied

I could not fathom this broken face resembled my beautiful child and asked to see her hands to be sure they hadn‘t got it wrong.

The flashbacks of her face, her ice cold hands, in the hospital and then seeing her in her casket, are a constant in my life now – resulting in a PTSD and prolonged grief disorder diagnosis.

I was a vibrant, social, happy person who loved to help people.

I had a successful career, as the business development officer at The Disability Trust, with a company car, working across multiple offices.

I created and sourced many job opportunities for people with Disabilities. Something I am very proud of.

I was an active Board Member for the Wollongong Homeless Hub and I volunteered answering phones for Lifeline.

I am no longer able to work, have not attended a board meeting and have absolutely no concentration.

I used to love to travel, go out for meals and coffee with friends.

Now, I see no point. as wherever go there is no joy – my daughter is still gone.

My once happy, noisy home, full of laughter and Libby‘s friends is now my lonely, sad, haven. I fear we will lose our home and financial security as we are both unable to work.

I cry every day.

The sadness I see in Luke‘s eyes, breaks my heart.

I am unable cook or clean. I have no interest in day to day life.

We have lost many friends. People find it hard to be around you when you lose a child.

They don‘t want to share their kids’ stories, for fear of upsetting you or not knowing what to say. So, they stay away.

Even though I see my psychologist weekly, a psychiatrist, have been to in-stay therapy for my PTSD I fight the urge to be with Libby every day.

I have put on 20kg of weight, feel as though I have aged 20 years and don‘t recognise the person I used to be.

The Face ID on my phone has not recognised me since the day after Libby was killed.

Whatever the court decides is a fair punishment for the crime that took my daughter‘s life makes no real difference to me. It won’t bring Libby back.

I will say though, had the defendant‘s taken responsibility for their actions in the first instance there may have been some sense of forgiveness

Making us sit through multiple court dates and having to relive the nightmare of that night over and over has made our lives so much worse.

Every time we come back into this courtroom, it‘s as raw as if we lost our beautiful girl yesterday.

Watching the video footage and witnessing the lack of remorse and total disregard for our daughter‘s life and her friend’s injuries is unforgivable.

I don‘t want an apology. It is far too late for that.

She was a wonderful human, with so much to offer this world.

She intended to study dentistry, to help others.

Now we must live with her loss for the rest of our lives.

I am not living; I am barely existing.

I have no interest in participating in life anymore.

I am just waiting for this life to be over.

This is the impact losing my daughter due to dangerous driving and stupidity has left me with.

Jules Harrison (mother)

In order for me to have to write this I must be a victim of an event that impacted me in a way that effected my life personally, socially and professionally.

These are terms I have been working on with my psychologist that I see weekly which helps me to stay functioning.

So, Mr Sharma and Mr Singh let‘s explore this.

Firstly, how has the event of my daughter being struck, disfigured and killed by a car impacted me personally.

I have lost my ability to tell time.

Time seems to have stopped since we received a phone call, from Libby‘s soon to be fiance, on Saturday night the 7th of November 2020.

I know the sun comes up and it goes down but it feels as though time has not moved.

For 19 years and 12 days Libby was my purpose.

For 19 years and 12 days my purpose was guide Libby into growing into her own person, I showed her, helped her and patiently watched while she attempted things herself, all the while wanting to protect her from harm.

I watched her make her own decisions and she grew into a kind, caring, giving and loving young lady.

For 19 years and 12 days I showed her how to be a good, kind and a caring person and just how much joy you can get from helping others even those who some would say don‘t deserve it.

For 19 years and 12 days Libby taught me how to become a better person.

I didn‘t want her to be me I wanted her to be the best her she could be and to her credit, through a lot of turmoil at school, some heart ache and rejection, she had finally at 19 years old, become who she wanted to be within herself.

Libby Ruge's parents Julie Ruge (middle) and Jules Harrison (right) outside the Collegians Clubs the day after the crash. Picture: Simon Bullard.

She had her dream job, planning her engagement, looking at house and land packages and was happy to be the Libby she was.

She enjoyed this happiness for 12 days.

For 19 years and 12 days we tried to give her every opportunity that we could.

Encouraged her when she needed encouragement, reprimanded her when it was required and loved her through it all.

As she grew we hugged her when she cried and laughed with her when she did something silly.

For 19 years and 12 days I personally devoted myself to helping and guiding her, created memories and planned for her and our future.

I personally had the privilege of being the first person to see her enter this world, the most amazing experience I have ever witnessed, and I personally placed her ashes into her final resting place, a beautiful black urn with brass butterflies, the most devastating moment of my life, personally.

So personally, you took the result of 19 years and 12 days of love, guidance and our future plans. dreams and goals.

Secondly how has the event of my daughter being struck, disfigured, and killed by a car impacted me socially.

I was a person that spent five to six days a week at the gym. I can‘t do that now as Libby and I used to go there together.

I would help her with her form and set her up with some exercises and watch her from the other side of the gym to let her do her own thing.

The majority of people who go to the gym know me, my wife or my daughter so now I get the sad looks or the I am so sorry and other supportive talk.

I can no longer just work out anymore as every area of the gym reminds me of her and the anxiety of running into people prevents me from going.

I do not like to be at shopping centres or anywhere there are groups of people as it is hard for me to fathom that their lives are continuing when mine has been ripped to shreds.

I have panic attacks at work, I am no longer able to socialise, the thought of going into a restaurant terrifies me.

l am isolated and scared of what is to come.

A wedding tears my heart out and I am terrified of having to attend a funeral at some point in my future.

I rarely joke or laugh, if I do it is always tainted with guilt and sadness.

I have not felt real joy since that night.

I avoid conversations with anyone for several reasons, if I know them they are either awkwardly ignoring the fact that my daughter was killed and my life has changed forever or I don‘t know them and they ask if I am married or if I have any children.

That is now a terrifying question as I am not sure how to or how I will answer.

So the social impact of my daughter being killed is devastating.

Thirdly, how has the event of my daughter being struck, disfigured and killed by a car impacted me professionally.

Mr Sharma and Mr Singh you are here in Australia obtaining an education. I myself have a university education – two degrees actually.

It took 5 years to complete my two degrees in order to become a doctor of osteopathy. An Osteopath, for those who don‘t know is like a physio and chiro put together.

I spent five years learning how the body moves, feels and works. You must learn every part of the bodies anatomy, how it functions, interacts, the result of dysfunction and how to relieve the dysfunction.

This is done by pairing up your knowledge with what your hands feel. For this to occur you must develop a very keen sense of touch. I can literally feel people‘s pain in their tissues and movement. I spent 12 years developing my skills as an osteopath and I was good at my job.

I am unable to do this now. Since that night the specialised skills of touch I have developed trigger me into a panic attack as all I feel is Libby‘s cold lifeless body at the hospital.

As a result I am unable to treat patients in private practice and my extensive patient list that I have spent the last 12 years building are no longer able to receive treatment from me.

There are not many osteopaths in Kiama and now there is less.

Libby Ruge and her mums Julie Ruge (left) and Jules Harrison. Picture: Supplied

I also work in aged care, a job that I love, I was treating the elderly, assisting in their recovery from surgery, a truly rewarding job.

I now have panic attacks and struggle to leave my office and have had to employ people to attend to the residents treatments because I am unable to because I cannot think for long periods of time my brain just stops working and this is very frustrating.

I am no longer able to treat with my hands and my ability to concentrate has been seriously compromised.

I am unsure if will ever be able to return to my previous capacity of working.

I was working five days a week and now I struggle through one. So the impact on my professional life is devastating.

Since that phone call I cannot sleep without horrific dreams, I cannot look at photos of Libby without seeing her face broken, jaw laterally deviated due to the multiple fractures and breathing tube, the missing front left tooth, the bone protruding from the middle of her nose, her collapsed left cheek, the way her arm moved that was unnatural stiff and awkward, how unbelievably cold she was with this intense lack of motion under her skin and in her tissues or the smell of the blood.

I hear the sounds of her other mother crying with a sound that came from a ripped soul, the screams of her friend Eva, also struck by your car, in the cubicle next to Libby, not just from pain but from hearing her friend be declared dead at 11.55pm on the 7th of November 2020.

Having to tell Libby‘s sister, brother and his wife that they didn’t make it time she was gone.

Washing the dry and congealed blood off her handbag before her other mother saw or smelt it.

All the while trying to make some sense of what was happening.

I understood, but didn‘t and still don’t, but of course I do – this is my life now.

Mr Sharma and Mr Singh, people have asked me do you hate them and what would you say to them given the chance and my answer to them is the same today as it was the night my daughter was killed.

I do not have the capacity to hate you, hate the situation yes but not hate you.

I hate that your stupid reckless actions took the life of my daughter, but I do not hate you, again I do not have that capacity.

What would I say, well my answer is if you are truly sorry for the result of your actions then nothing I say will make you feel worse and if you do not have any remorse for your actions nothing I say will make you feel remorseful.

I cannot hope for justice as there is no real justice, my daughter will never come home from that night.

I do believe that the legal system has been fair, given the correct verdict and will provide the appropriate sentence.

Luke Day (boyfriend)

How has the night of 7th Nov 2020 impacted me?

I lost the future I had planned with Libby, my soon-to-be fiance.

We had been together for three-and-a-half years. Libby was always sending me email hints of the rings she wanted.

The day she was taken we had been looking at cars together.

Lib always managed to get everything she wanted from me.

I have no doubt she would have gotten that car we were looking at.

I would have given her everything she ever wanted.

We had planned to buy land and build a home together.

She had already chosen the house.

We were going to work hard over the next few years.

She was going to study to be a dentist and I am an electrician.

Libby Ruge and her long-term boyfriend Luke Day. Picture: Supplied

We planned to travel together, then have our family.

We were so excited for our future.

This was taken from us.

The events of that night have left me with PTSD.

I hardly sleep and when I do I have nightmares and flashbacks.

The sound of screeching tyres renders me frozen and takes me back to that night.

Even though I see my psychologist regularly, I struggle to talk about that night.

I feel sad and lonely and have struggled with suicidal thoughts.

Now I am left with the memories of what should have been our future.

I miss Libby every day and hope that one day the memories of that night won‘t continue to haunt me.

Eva Harrison (best friend)

My life has changed dramatically after the accident in November 2020.

Seeing your best friend die right in front of you doesn‘t leave.

Its stays on repeat most hours of the day.

It caused me severe depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

I found life became meaningless and hard.

Most days I couldn‘t get out of bed for the first six to 12 months, life was exhausting.

I developed unhealthy addictions, started losing my hair and began getting acne on my face.

I had and still have constant panic attacks, one lead me to get taken to hospital in an ambulance.

Things that I loved to do weren‘t enjoyable anymore.

I distanced myself from my family and friends.

I was very isolated in my own thoughts.

I felt like no one understood what I was going through.

I had relationships end and in November 2021, I was admitted to a psych ward in for three weeks in Sydney.

I did not have the mental capacity to work until just recently and even that is hard.

I am constantly tired and too overwhelmed and on top of that my leg constantly aches from the injury.

Eva Harrison and Libby Ruge were best friends. Picture: Facebook

I am constantly having nightmares about this day, waking up in a sweat and in tears.

I am seeing a psychologist most weeks.

Life was great before the accident; I was happy and in a loving relationship.

The trauma took that happiness away from me and I don‘t know if or when it will come back.

I was active, never liked to sit at home or in bed.

I loved hanging out with friends and going out for the night.

I was so young and I‘m still so young.

I had never experienced grief before.

I got thrown in the deep end.

I didn’t know life could get this blue.

I sustained injuries to my leg, arm and neck.

For months I couldn‘t walk without a limp and still have pain shooting down my leg into my toes.

I couldn’t sit down on hard surfaces because of the pain and still find it hard.

I was doing physio twice a week for the first six months.

I couldn’t work.

I lost my confidence in driving and I‘m an anxious passenger now.

If cars get close or I‘m going through a busy intersection, I panic.

For some time, I couldn‘t walk on the sidewalks to the road without getting anxious.

Hearing cars skid scares me and takes me back to that night.

Life feels like a constant battle to stay alive at times.

I‘m healing but I’m still not mended.

I will always have that memory with me for the rest of my life.

Every day the trauma is on my mind, taking up a lot of space.

My life will never be the same again.

Libby will always be remembered by her loving family and friends.

She will never be forgotten.