Hunter Valley fatal bus crash driver Brett Button sentenced
The driver behind the wheel when a bus full of wedding guests in the Hunter Valley rolled, killing 10 and injuring 25, has learned his fate in court.
Police & Courts
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Killer bus driver Brett Button has been jailed for at least 24 years over the tragic deaths of 10 wedding guests and the injury of 25 others in the horrific Hunter Valley crash last year.
Button received a maximum 32 year sentence from Judge Roy Ellis, with his non-parole period to expire on May 7, 2048.
Tears and cries of shock could be heard in the courtroom as the verdict was delivered.
“Words cannot adequately express the pain, anger, frustration and sadness that permeated the first two days of this hearing – statement after statement was read by the depressed and devastated family members of the 10 deceased in particular, and by surviving passengers,” Judge Ellis said.
READ THE FAMILY’S REACTIONS HERE
The judge’s total sentence was a partial accumulation of the 35 charges Button had been facing, including 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, nine counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and, and 16 counts of driving furiously in a motor vehicle to cause bodily harm.
On each of the death counts, and taking into account a 25 per cent discount for Button’s guilty plea, Judge Ellis sentenced the driver to a maximum four-and-a-half years.
His ranges for each of the grievous bodily harm counts ranged from one-year-and-seven-months to two-years-and-seven-months.
“I’ve been involved in the justice system for over 50 years, with the last 21 years as a judge of the district court. I have never seen anywhere near the extreme devastation to so many individuals and families as has become absolutely clear in relation to this offending,” Judge Ellis said.
He also added: “The last two days graphically painted the picture of devastation caused by the offending. Surviving passengers described the trauma of their injuries and the scenes of the bus crash, with unwanted memories of the carnage still present and easily triggered.”
Judge Ellis also said: “The sentence will never bring back deceased loved ones, heal the physical injuries of the survivors, or heal the heartache and loss suffered by the families of the 10 deceased.”
Outside court, victim Kane Symons’ father Steve gave a brief statement about the sentence.
“It showed that they mattered,” Mr Symons said.
Earlier, Button sobbed as he apologised to survivors and the families of 10 people who died when he crashed a bus full of wedding guests in the Hunter Valley more than 15 months ago.
Button has sat in the Newcastle District Court dock since Monday, listening to dozens of harrowing victim impact statements detailing the devastating loss, grief and anger following the Greta tragedy.
”I’ve tried to figure out the words to say I’m sorry, but how do you say sorry for such a horrible tragic event that’s ruined the lives of hundreds of people,” Button said in a broken voice.
“I can’t forgive myself, I can’t believe I caused this, I never meant to cause it.”
The court has heard Button had exceeded his prescribed dosage of Tramadol, a prescription painkiller, on the day of the crash – and he accepts it impaired his driving, along with the speed at which he approached the roundabout where the bus rolled.
Darcy Bulman, Rebecca Mullen, Zachary Bray, Andrew Scott and his wife Lynan Scott, Tori Cowburn, Angus Craig, Nadene McBride, her daughter Kyah McBride and Kyah’s partner Kane Symons were all killed in the tragedy.
Another 25 wedding guests were injured – with multiple passengers suffering broken necks and other grievous injuries in the carnage.
“I live with this every day and I hate myself, I never meant to hurt anyone in my entire life,” Button wept.
“It’s completely the opposite of everything we’re taught all our lives – I’ve caused parents to have to bury their children and I’ve done it to so many families.
“I hate myself, I want to disappear.”
Button also apologised to police and first responders who were confronted with the horrific scenes, and to his family, saying he had shamed them.
Under questions from Crown prosecutor Katharine Jeffreys, Button agreed he had been driving dangerously for three reasons - his use of the opioid painkiller Tramadol, his speeding and his risk taking.
Button agreed he had answered a comment from a passenger that the drive was “like a rollercoaster” with: “If you like that one, you will like this one.”
But Button said the “rollercoaster” was supposed to be the on ramp onto the Hunter Expressway and not the roundabout.
He agreed he had been taken off the road after the amount of Tramadol he was taking was discovered by another employee and that he failed to tell his new employer, Linq Buslines, that he was using the opioid.
“You didn’t tell Linq,” Ms Jeffreys asked.
“I would have,” Button replied.
“You accept there is no evidence of you telling Linq of your use of Tramadol?”
“I accept that.”
“Did you think you knew better than the doctors.”
“No.”
However, Button would admit that he must have known that his dependency and use of Tramadol at a higher dose than doctors had prescribed was dangerous.
“So your use of Tramadol made you a danger on the roads,” Ms Jeffreys asked
“Yes,” Button replied
“And you didn’t tell your new employer of your use of Tramadol?”
“Yes.”
“You were keen to get back to work?”
“Yes.”
“And you thought you knew better than the doctors of the risk that you posed?”
“Yes.”
“And on the night of the crash you were joking about rollercoasters?”
“Yes.”
“At a time when you had taken far more Tramadol than your doctors had recommended.”
“Yes.”
Ms Jeffreys also questioned Button about his contradictory statements about his level of experience of driving on the road and into the roundabout.
For much of the sentence proceedings so far, as families of those who died and the survivors delivered victim impact statements, Button has stared at his hands in the dock.
He told his counsel, Paul Rosser KC, he meant no disrespect – he was just ashamed.
One survivor, Drew El Moussalli, demanded that Button look at him before he delivered his statement on Tuesday.
“You stood there with your hands in your pockets, as I was on the ground with my shirt covering my best mate’s head as he was bleeding to death,” Mr El Moussalli said.
“I have memories of dismembered bodies, looking at the many lifeless bodies at the back of the bus that you killed – your bus of hell.”
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Button was sentenced on 53 charges, including 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, nine counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of driving furiously in a motor vehicle to cause bodily harm.
The sentence hearing, in front of Judge Roy Ellis, began on Monday with 43 victim impact statements being read by devastated relatives of victims, including several who survived the crash over two days.
Both prosecutors and Button’s defence team, led by Paul Rosser KC, have already lodged detailed submissions on sentence.
However, both the Crown and Mr Rosser are expected to make oral submissions to the court.
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