Bus driver Jack Aston walks from prison after horror bridge crash
The bus driver who crashed into the Montague St bridge in 2016 has been released from prison, after a Court of Appeal judge ruled that Jack Aston had spent enough time behind bars.
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After 306 days in prison, bus driver Jack Aston just wanted to go home.
A beaming Aston emerged from the Supreme Court today after the Court of Appeal found he had served enough time.
“I feel really good. I’d like to say sorry to all my passengers,” he said.
The apology marked Aston’s first public comments since being imprisoned over the February 2016 crash.
Six passengers suffered horrific injuries including spinal and back fractures when Aston smashed into the infamous Montague St bridge.
He had ignored five warning signs about the low bridge, the first 290m from the bridge, before crashing.
A further sign on the bridge declared its low clearance, with red and white signage to draw attention to drivers.
Aston was found guilty by a jury of six counts of negligently causing serious injury and jailed for five years and three months, and ordered to serve at least two and a half years of that term.
The sentence sparked widespread debate.
The convictions were today quashed by Court of Appeal judges Phillip Priest, Stephen Kaye and David Beach after finding there was a “substantial miscarriage of justice” during his trial.
The court found prosecutors had erred by not declaring there was a statutory alternative charge of dangerous driving causing serious injury, which holds a much lower maximum penalty.
The court today resentenced him on the alternative charges to 305 days imprisonment, constituted by time already served, and ordered he undergo a two year community corrections order.
“You may leave the dock now, Mr Aston,” Court of Appeal judge Phillip Priest said this morning sparking rapturous applause inside the court.
Aston immediately left the dock and sat next to his emotional wife.
He then embraced several people in court while proceedings were still underway.
It was more than an hour before Aston emerged outside court after signing prison paperwork and greeting dozens of supporters inside the court’s inner courtyard.
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When he did he was flanked by his wife and children, and made a brief statement.
After apologising to his passengers, and thanking his legal team and the court, Aston had a message for premier Dan Andrews.
“If you really do care about the people of Victoria, before that bridge takes a life, fix it,” he said.
He answered just one press question, saying “freedom’s a good a thing”, before ending the impromptu press conference.
“If it’s all right with all of you guys, I really would like to go home now,” he said.