Gippsland father Damien Gibson jailed after buggy stunt killed six year old Olivia Stevens
A Gippsland mum has slammed the sentence delivered to the man whose “reckless” buggy stunt killed her daughter during a playdate.
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The heartbroken mother of a six-year-old girl who was killed in a buggy joyride has slammed the sentence delivered to the “reckless” driver as a “slap in the face”.
Olivia Stevens, 6, was killed in September 2021 when the ATV buggy she and six other children all aged under 12 were aboard flipped on its roof during a playdate.
Driver Damien Gibson — who had five of his own children in the buggy at the time — received a minimum three year jail sentence on Thursday at the County Court, making him eligible for release in early 2027.
The court heard none of the children inside the ATV were given any safety equipment, helmets or seatbelts.
Holding back tears outside court on Thursday, Olivia’s mother Yana Stevens — wearing pink bracelets with her daughter’s name on them — said it “sucked” seeing “limited justice” delivered.
“This is a real slap in the face,” she said.
“We dropped her off for 20 minutes and we’ll never see her again.
“To get this sentencing ... it’s like a punch in the face.”
Ms Stevens has called for harsher laws for drivers who commit offences on farm buggies.
“I want people to know that they’re responsible for the lives they take on these vehicles, that’s why they need to change the laws,” she said.
“These vehicles are not designed for fun rides or doughnuts.”
Despite it being more than three years since the incident at Gibson’s farm, Ms Stevens said she had few details about how her daughter died.
“We’re still guessing ... we don’t know how the other kids survived and she didn’t,” she said.
Dressed in a white t-shirt, 36-year-old Gibson watched on in court emotionless on a video link from prison, with his family supporting him via video link from their Gippsland home.
The Rosedale man pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death earlier this year after the September 2021 crash.
Olivia and her mother Yana had visited the Gibson family for a planned BBQ and overnight stay arriving at 2.30pm.
Shortly before 4pm, Mrs Stevens left to go pick up her eldest son from an event but Olivia, who was in the pool, wanted to stay.
Just minutes later Gibson took seven children out his new buggy, purchased less than a month earlier.
Gibson rolled the vehicle onto its roof after he attempted to perform a hard right turn in deep grass, causing Olivia to be crushed under the vehicle’s roll bars.
She died while being flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Judge Richard Maidment described the “consequences of (Gibson’s) actions as tragic”.
“As the victim impact statements say, the death of their loved daughter, sister and granddaughter will continue to be utterly devastating,” he said.
In his sentencing, Judge Maidment said he took into account the “immeasurable effect” of the impact on Olivia’s family.
The court heard Gibson had suffered with PTSD and depression while in jail, since the horrific rollover.
Gibson was sentenced to five years behind bars, with three years non-parole.
Ms Stevens said her daughter “always saw the best in people” and “loved pink flamingos”.
A pink flamingo statue and a plaque will be erected at Gippsland Grammar School in her honour.
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