Oatlands driver Samuel William Davidson pleads guilty to manslaughter of Abdallah, Sakr children

The man behind the wheel of a car that crashed into a group of children in Sydney’s northwest – killing four – has pleaded guilty.

The man behind the wheel of a car that ploughed into a group of seven children walking along a quiet street in Sydney’s northwest – killing four – has pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Samuel William Davidson, 30, entered guilty pleas on Thursday to four counts of manslaughter, two counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct in charge of a motor vehicle and one of aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm while under the influence of drugs.

Davidson was high on drugs and three times the blood alcohol limit when he jumped behind the wheel of a Mitsubishi four-wheel-drive in Oatlands on the night of February 1 this year.

Samuel Davidson, left, and the Abdallah children, who were killed on the night of February 1.

Their cousin Veronique Sakr, who was 11. Picture: AAP Image/Bianca De Marchi

As the vehicle rounded a bend on Bettington Road about 7.50pm, driving at high speed, it left the road and careered into a group of children.

Siblings Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 9, and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, were killed when the car Davidson was driving crashed into them near Oatlands Golf Club.

A fifth child was left in a critical condition and spent 80 days in hospital but survived, while two others were also injured.

The memorial for the four children on Bettington Rd, Oatlands. Picture: John Grainger

Davidson’s guilty pleas were indicated at his last court appearance on September 4, seven months after the crash that shocked a nation.

Clean-shaven and dressed in prison greens, he appeared calm when he flashed up briefly on screen before Parramatta Local Court on Thursday to confirm his admissions and be informed of his next court date.

“Hello,” he said to Magistrate Peter Feather.

The charge of manslaughter carries a maximum jail term of 25 years in NSW.

Mourners flocked to the crash site. Picture: Adam Yip

The court heard the agreed facts of the case were still being ironed out and will be tendered to the District Court, where he will be sentenced.

Court documents state the 30-year-old had ran a red light at the intersection with Pennant Hills Road in the moments before the crash, having left a Caltex service station with a 24-year-old friend in the car to return to his rented home on Greens Ave.

Davidson was found to have a cocktail of MDMA and alcohol in his system, and blew a blood alcohol reading of 0.15 – three times the legal limit – following his arrest.

Samuel William Davidson is escorted by police after the crash in February. Picture: 7 News

The son of a retired police officer had been facing 34 charges in total, the majority of which were withdrawn on entering his guilty pleas.

Single counts of running a red light and not giving particulars to police will be taken into account on sentencing.

The Abdallah and Sakr families have both expressed forgiveness for the man who caused their worlds to crumble, and have consciously avoided his court appearances.

Last month father Danny Abdallah told the Daily Telegraph he would welcome Davidson’s pleas but said it changed nothing for his family.

“It’s not going to get our kids back, (but) the court (process) will be a lot quicker, so it will help us move forward,” he said.

Danny Abdallah the day after the crash. Picture: Adam Yip

“Nothing’s changed. How can I say it? Not a minute goes by not thinking about your kids. It’s like it was yesterday, the pain remains and we’re just trying to find a new normal in our family.”

“We‘re determined to spend time with our children who are still with us and remain in constant prayer for the strength we need to see us through this time,” father Daniel Abdallah said in a statement.

Davidson was on Thursday committed to be sentence in the District Court on November 20.