Alec Vidot-Coleman: Carlingford man sentenced for West Ryde car crash which killed Scarlett Lenehan

An aspiring athlete, who once dreamt of becoming a police officer, has been sentenced over a deadly crash which killed his 20-year-old girlfriend.

As a young couple hopped into a car for a night-time ice-cream run they were talking excitedly about the trip to America they had booked just days earlier.

In a flash, however, everything would change for aspiring athlete Alec Vidot-Coleman when he lost control of his car on Victoria Rd, West Ryde with the ensuing deadly crash taking the life of his 20-year-old girlfriend, Scarlett Lenehan, in December 2019.

Now Vidot-Coleman, 24, of Carlingford, will spend at least the next two years behind bars after being sentenced for dangerous driving occasioning death.

In Downing Centre District Court on Friday, Judge Sarah Huggett accepted a report by crash expert Sergeant Fenton which stated Vidot-Coleman’s Nissan Silvia was speeding at the time, causing the fatal crash.

“I have no doubt at all that it was the offender’s excessive speed at or around 101 km/h … that caused his loss of control,” Judge Huggett said.

Alec Vidot-Coleman. Picture: Nikki Short.

Scarlett Lenehan.

“The offender was significantly exceeding the speed limit in the moment he lost control … that decision was objectively dangerous … tragically some of those risks materialised.”

Vidot-Coleman’s lawyer Brett Galloway had previously told the court his client was “definitely not” travelling at 100km/h, but was driving at 76km/h to 80km. The speed limit was 60km/h.

The Nissan Vidot-Coleman was behind the wheel of when he crashed in West Ryde. Picture: 7 News

Judge Huggett also found nothing was impairing Vidot-Coleman’s driving, such as drugs or alcohol, and that the dangerous driving took place in matter of seconds.

However, she said Vidot-Coleman’s “moral culpability was significant” because speed was the central reason for the deadly car crash.

The court heard the 24-year-old man, who is studying real estate and had been approached by a professional VFL team, was described in letters of support as a kind, hard working and reliable young man.

He was also a talented athlete — who captained his high school’s AFL and basketball teams — and once had aspirations of becoming a police officer.

Alec Vidot-Coleman leaving Downing Centre. Picture: Damian Shaw.

Judge Huggett accepted the Vidot-Coleman was remorseful and never intended to kill his girlfriend.

“His conduct caused the death of his girlfriend who he described as being his best friend and he will have to live with that fact,” Judge Huggett said.

However, she also told the court she must acknowledge the “immeasurable pain, grief, sadness and heartache for Ms Lenehan’s family and friends”.

“(I must acknowledge) the enormity of a tragedy which has seen a much loved young lady taken from her family when she was in the prime of her life,” Judge Huggett said.

Vidot-Coleman, who had also pleaded guilty to two counts of driving furiously in a motor vehicle causing bodily harm, was convicted and sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment, with a non-parole period of two years. He will also be disqualified from driving for three years following his release.

His family, who were present in the courtroom, cried as he was led away from the docks.