Jason Wylie, Harold Chatfield: Family’s anguish as sentence delayed

The family of a respected indigenous elder killed by a driver at the front of an inner west school has expressed their outrage and anguish with the matter being adjourned yet again.

Jason Wylie after court on September 18 when he was relieved to receive another week of freedom. Picture: Monique Harmer

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The family of indigenous elder Harold Chatfield has expressed their anguish after a sentencing for the man who claimed his life was adjourned for the third time, leading his fiancee to have an outburst outside court.

Jason Wylie, 42, conceded he was showing off and speeding on the Hume Highway before he fatally struck the St Vincent de Paul charity worker, who was standing on the footpath near an inner west high school on July 5, 2018.

Wylie was racing a Mercedes driver in his Holden Commodore after leaving a set of traffic lights before ploughing into 55-year-old Mr Chatfield, who had just finished attending his relative’s high school assembly where he had received an award.

Harold Chatfield died after Jason Wylie's car struck him.

The school or child’s name cannot be published for legal reasons.

Wylie initially pleaded not guilty but entered a guilty plea after being charged with aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death.

At Parramatta Local Court on Friday, the matter was adjourned for the third time since July 21, much to the frustration of Mr Chatfield’s family including his fiancee Tracey Anne Madden and sister Jackie Evans who were in court for the judgment today.

“Enough is enough,’’ his Ms Madden said outside the courtroom.

“I want him locked up,’’ she said pointing to Wylie.

The matter was adjourned after Wylie’s barrister Ramesh Rajalingam wished to make a submission using material from a similar case that he told the court he had just received yesterday.

Tracey Anne Madden is upset after the court delay. Picture: Monique Harmer

Mr Chatfield’s sister Jackie Evans talks to lawyer Mirna Zeini after court on Friday. Picture: Monique Harmer

However, Crown prosecutor Kay Marinos was unable to review that material because she was present at another trial.

Judge Sophia Beckett apologised to Mr Chatfield and Wylie families for being “obliged to adjourn the matter”.

“I was hoping I could get to sentence today for everyone in the courtroom,’’ she said.

“These matters are very hard for families of both sides.’’

The sentence was adjourned to October 23 and Wylie’s bail was continued.