Wollongong crash: Father of 12yo crash victim granted bail for ‘cultural reasons’

The father of a boy who was killed as a result of a horrific car crash in the Illawarra region has been granted bail to attend the 12-year-old’s funeral.

The father of a boy who was killed as a result of a horrific car crash in the Illawarra region last week has been granted bail to attend the 12-year-old‘s funeral.

The Bellambi man, who had been remanded in custody in Silverwater Correctional Complex, has a string of charges before the courts including two counts of contravening and apprehended violence order, common assault and behaving in an offensive manner in a public place.

In Wollongong Local Court on Thursday, Magistrate Claire Girotto described the father‘s record as “shocking” and said the circumstances leading to the bail application were ”very traumatic”

The court heard the man was required to be present during the planning of the funeral and the funeral itself for “cultural reasons”.

The man was granted bail in Wollongong Local Court on Thursday.

Police prosecutor Amelia Wall opposed bail after acknowledging it was a “distressing situation for everyone involved” before telling the court the father had already been refused bail to attend a viewing of his son’s body.

However, Magistrate Girotto was prepared to grant the man bail with strict conditions including he not to leave his father‘s address in Dapto unless in the company of one of six chaperones.

The man is only permitted to leave the home to attend court, medical appointments or events relating to the funeral.

Magistrate Girotto confirmed the bail period would only apply for the duration of the funeral proceedings before passing on her condolences to the man as well as the boy’s mother present in court.

The man will return to Wollongong Local Court later this month.