Brendan John Borthwick sentenced over Princes Highway crash near Nowra

A Camden South man has been issued a stern warning to “get a grip” after facing sentencing over a string of charges.

A former Camden South man who caused a crash on the Princes Highway near Nowra has been blasted by a magistrate for “leaving someone to possibly die by the side of the road”.

Brendan John Borthwick appeared at Campbelltown Local Court for sentencing to a string of charges including failure to stop after a crash, negligent driving causing grievous bodily harm and domestic violence offences.

Court documents reveal the Camden South man was driving his Holden Rodeo north at about 10.30pm on April 24 at Jaspers Brush when he collided head on with a Triton ute travelling in the opposite direction.

The crash caused the ute to cross into the northbound lane and hit another car before hitting a concrete barrier, leaving the 54-year-old driver severely injured.

Borthwick’s car was found a short time later by police, but when they contacted him he told officers that the vehicle had been stolen.

Brendan John Borthwick. Picture: Annie Lewis

He was later arrested and charged over the incident.

In court on Tuesday, Borthwick’s lawyer submitted a written argument and made a brief verbal statement.

“He [Borthwick] has also indicated to me that he did the traffic offenders program … his view was all kids should do it before they get their Ps,” she said.

The lawyer said Borthwick was also participating in the Magistrates Early Referral into Treatment (MERIT), as the “drugs destroyed” his relationship with his ex-partner.

“He wants to move forward,” she said.

In sentencing, Magistrate Susan McGowan said the failure to stop was “100 times worse” than the

Crash scene on the Princes Highway at Jaspers Brush in April 2021.

She acknowledged while his driving record was “not envious” it was by far not the worst she had seen.

In reference to the domestic violence offences that included contravening an AVO and damaging property, Magistrate McGowan informed Borthwick’s lawyer that his client had “to get to get a grip”.

“Work has to be done and it’s no good trying to convince me it‘s rosy in the garden,” she said.

“MERIT has obviously been beneficial and I hope it continues to do so.”

Borthwick was sentenced to a 30-month intensive community corrections order, fined $2700, disqualified from driving for 18 months and is also subject to a community corrections order.

He is to report to community corrections in Nowra where he is currently living.