Sarkis Nakhoul jailed for crash that killed Echuca woman Justine Cabral

A highly regarded family man has been jailed after his dangerous driving near Bendigo tore away the life of a 24-year-old Echuca woman, leaving her family in “agony and extreme pain”.

Sarkis Nakhoul charged with dangerous driving causing death after he caused a fatal collision when failing to give way at the intersection in Toolleen. Picture: Gianni Francis/GoogleMaps

A “highly regarded” family man has been jailed for causing the death of a 24-year-old Echuca woman with his dangerous driving near Bendigo, leaving her family in “agony and extreme pain”.

Sarkis Nakhoul, 42, was convicted and sentenced to a minimum of two years’ jail after he was unanimously found guilty at trial of dangerous driving causing the death of Justine Cabral.

Nakhoul was travelling at 56km/h when he failed to give way at the intersection of the Axedale-Toolleen and Northern highways at Toolleen, causing the fatal collision on November 5, 2022.

Sarkis Nakhoul was found guilty by a jury of dangerous driving causing death. Picture: Google Maps.

Nakhoul had not been drinking or using drugs, was not on his phone and had not been speeding.

The Sydney tradie, who runs a construction company out of the suburb of Wentworthville, had pleaded not guilty, arguing he had made a “tragic mistake” but had not been driving dangerously, while the prosecution argued Nakhoul had failed to keep a proper lookout and he “took the life of an innocent person”.

Judge Mark Gamble said the victim was a young woman killed in an avoidable collision, leaving her loved ones with enduring grief and pain at her loss.

“She was only 24 years of age when her life was so tragically taken away,” he said.

“Justine had her whole life ahead of her and was looking forward to getting married, having children and travelling.

Sarkis Nakhoul outside Bendigo Law Courts during his trial.

“Your offending has forever prevented her from realising those dreams.”

Judge Gamble said Ms Cabral’s mother had been left with “agony and extreme pain” after losing her daughter and she “wants justice done for Justine”.

Ms Cabral’s boyfriend, who was driving the car at the time of the collision, said in a statement that he felt as if a “part of his life has been taken away” and he was still wracked with guilt and grief.

Judge Gamble said he hoped that Ms Cabral’s partner would come to realise “he was in no way to blame”.

Defence barrister Hayden Rattray argued during a previous plea hearing that Nakhoul should not be jailed, instead receiving a lengthy community corrections order, possibly with a hefty fine, while the Crown argued there was no alternative to a prison sentence.

Nakhoul told the court he was “terrified” about what would happen to his wife and four young children if he was jailed.

Mr Rattray argued it would be “unjust” to lock Nakhoul up because it would leave his family in hardship.

Sarkis Nakhoul was jailed for a minimum of two years.

Nakhoul was a “highly regarded” in his community and his church, who was described by his supporters as acting with “integrity and compassion”, the court heard.

Judge Gamble said Nakhoul was an otherwise law-abiding, “hardworking family man” who caused Ms Cabral’s death through an “uncharacteristic instance of dangerous driving”.

He said the decision of the court was “clear but difficult”.

Judge Gamble sentenced Nakhoul to three years imprisonment with a non-parole period of two years.

Shocked gasps escaped Nakhoul’s dozen-or-so supporters who had travelled from Sydney to support him as the sentence was handed down and the killer driver was taken into custody.

The court heard Nakhoul would now be forced to sell his two investment properties to pay the mortgage on his third home where his family lives — leaving his wife and children about $800,000 in cash to live on while he was incarcerated.

His licence was disqualified for 18 months.