Samuel William Davidson sentenced for killing Abdallah, Sakr kids at Oatlands

The shattered families of four children killed at the hands of a drunk driver have asked him to find God and blamed the senseless tragedy on society’s obsession with drugs and alcohol.

Samuel William Davidson — the man who fatally ploughed into three siblings and their cousin at Oatlands after taking a cocktail of drinks and drugs – has faced court for sentencing.

Danny and Leila Abdallah, who lost Anthony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 9, have stoically fronted court with the family of Veronique Sakr, who was also killed on February 1, 2020, when the youngsters walked along the Bettington Rd footpath to buy ice cream at the nearby IGA supermarket shortly before 8pm.

Davidson’s parents, retired police detective Allan and his wife Kay, attended the sentencing at Parramatta District Court on Friday, when special arrangements to accommodate a large contingent of family, friends and media over two courtrooms were implemented.

Davidson, 30, appeared in the dock in a white shirt and jeans, occasionally taking sips of water while sitting on the opposite side of the courtroom to his parents.

Seven gut-wrenching impact statements were read to the court.

Antony Abdallah.

Angelina Abdallah.

Sienna Abdallah.

Veronique Sakr.

Danny Abdallah looked Davidson in the faceduring the reading of his victim impact statement and said “you jumped in the car like an arrogance I’ve never seen before”.

“You mowed down seven children close to my heart,’’ he said.

“While you were destroying your life with drugs and alcohol I was building a life for my children.

“While you were out partying destroying your life, I was sowing into my life good seeds that future generations would reap.

Danny and Leila Abdallah leave court. Picture: David Swift

“I blame you but I blame our culture more — teaching kids excessive drugs and alcohol is cool. Because of this culture I buried my children.’’

Mr Abdallah told the court he was God in Antony’s eyes, Angelina was “the bravest girl I ever met because I empowered her to be that girl’’ and Sienna was the “smallest in size’’ but had the “biggest affection”. “She had me wrapped around her pinky and you killed her instantly just because you thought it was OK to take drugs and drive”.

“We would pride ourselves saying we were parents of six children. We would never brag about work, we would only brag that we have six children.”

He told the court his relationship with his mother had eroded since the fatality and his father’s heart problems worsened but said he forgave Davidson.

“Whatever sentence you get, it will never be enough for the loss we have had.’’

During her statement, his wife Leila told Davidson the unimaginable grief he inflicted “killed us all”.

Bridget Sakr and Craig Mackenzie. Picture: David Swift

“Even in a horror movie they can’t make one car hit seven kids,’’ she said.

“You made the wrong choices and turned our life upside down. How could one car hit seven kids? You’ve killed us all.

“I am no longer the same person. My family has been torn apart. My heart is broken but I’m not going to fall because I have the holy spirit carrying me through.’’

She described Antony as her rock, best friend and soulmate, Angelina as her best friend and “world” and Sienna as her princess and diva who had “a joyful confidence’’ and a beautiful voice.

She said her youngest surviving children cried constantly, longing for their dead siblings.

“They call you the bad guy that killed their brothers and sisters, and Veronique,’’ she told Davidson.

“At least the family of the offender can see him, hug him. The offender got out of his car thinking about himself. I hope the offender finds God in his life and he repents.’’

Veronique’s father Bob Sakr told the court the last time he saw his “princess” was two days before her death when she visited him for his birthday.

Bob Sakr longs for his ‘princess’ every day. court: David Swift

Since the tragedy, family gatherings exacerbate his anguish, knowing he will never see his only daughter get married.

“Instead, I carried her down an aisle in a coffin for her funeral,’’ he said.

He relives the horror of arriving at the scene and learning about the four children’s death every day, especially seeing his daughter’s injuries were so brutal parts of her body were detached.

“Before I could even plead to God and selfishly wish Veronique was not one of the four I was told she was,’’ he said.

“I was told by police officers I don’t want to go down there and see it.

“(My son), pushed me aside like a ragdoll and said Where is she? Where is Veronique’? I chased him to tell him ‘your sister has been killed’. He has no one to fight with or to play with but parents should never have to bury a child.

He called for the most “extreme sentence” to be imposed on Davidson, who pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter, two counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct and one of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.

Samuel Davidson was high on cocaine and MDMA when he killed four children in his ute.

The manslaughter charge carries a maximum 25-year jail sentence.

Veronique’s mother Bridget Sakr said shortly after arriving at a 21st birthday party in Surry Hills, a “horror that will be etched into my mind, my body and soul for as long as I live” began when her cousin Danny Abdallah told her three of his children had been killed.

“Nothing is the same,’’ she said.

“Life is just a bad existence to make it to the other side the best way possible. I operate on minimal sleep, I toss and turn at night. I carry what seems like a tonne of lead in my heart. I no longer feel part of this world — I merely meander around.’’

The car’s impact was so severe on the children it caused Veronique’s body to be flung over the golf course fence.

She asked Davidson why he turned to drugs.

“I wonder if you can sleep at night or have nightmares like me and my family. I wonder if you have remorse,’’ she said.

“You may have lost your freedom but I have lost my flesh and blood.

“I pray if you have not met God you find him.”

Ms Sakr’s fiance Craig Mackenzie said he loved Veronique like his own daughter.

“Even though I love Veronique like my own daughter I really can’t compare my pain to Bridget and Bob’s,’’ he said.

“Despite this, my pain is immense and my love profound.

“This tragedy was completely avoidable. This is a life sentence for us.’’

He said Veronique wanted to go to university, have 28 children and marry a doctor.

A 14-year-old relative told the court he did not join his family that night because he wanted to rest for a soccer match the following day.

He had formed a tight bond with Veronique and said they did everything together.

Davidson’s parents, centre, with supporters at court. Picture: David Swift

“She was daring and lived every day to the fullest. Veronique was my fellow soldier. We fought together, now I’m battling life’s challenges all on my own.’’

A relative of a child who survived the horrific collision read a victim impact statement on behalf of the family that outlined the severe impact his brain injury had left.

The relative said the boy, who was in a coma for two weeks, would suffer lifelong cognitive problems, had a short term memory and emotional outbursts.

The court heard how Davidson had knocked back his first drink at 7am that fateful day before binging on Vodka Cruisers, rum and Coke and beers while drinking with mates Daniel Newman and Daniel Smith by the pool of his home at Oatlands.

The court earlier how he gave fellow drivers the middle finger while driving on the wrong side of the roundabout. He ran a red light at the intersection of Bettington and Pennant Hills roads and sped 70km/h over the 50km/h speed limit — reaching more than 130km — when he struck the children. in the blue Mitsubishi Triton ute.

He got out of the car and told Mr Newman, who was the front seat passenger: “What have I done? I killed people. I’m going to jail.’’

The court hear Davidson, a former truck driver, wrote a letter of apology to the victims’ families.

He suffered ADHD but was not taking his medication when the fatalities occurred.

The matter was adjourned to April 9 when the sentence will be handed down.

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