‘That’s disgraceful’: Survivor warns of dog act after wedding bus tragedy

A survivor of the horror wedding coach crash in the Hunter Valley has warned of unscrupulous acts being done in the name of victims.

One of the survivors of Sunday’s devastating Hunter Valley coach crash, that saw 10 people die, has warned of dog acts being committed in the names of the victims.

The deputy editor of local newspaper the Hunter River Times, Alex Tigani, was one of the 35 people travelling on the bus that was carrying guests from the wedding of Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell.

The vehicle had left the Wandin Estate Winery, in Lovedale, and was heading towards Singleton, 45km west of Maitland, when it tipped on a roundabout at around 11.30pm.

While genuine fundraising activities are taking place to raise money to help the victims, Mr Tigani warned unscrupulous charlatans were aiming to cash in on the disaster.

Ten people died in the horror crash. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Christian Gilles

“After Sunday’s tragedy there are multiple GoFundMe pages which are circulating across social media,

“These are NOT OFFICIAL,” he wrote on the newspaper’s Facebook page.

“The official GoFundMe page is currently being set up by the Singleton Roosters AFC.”

The link to that page can be found here. It has so far raised more than $100,000.

News.com.au has seen a number of other fundraising drives on GoFundMe that appear to be related to the coach crash. It’s not clear if they are fake or have indeed been set up by friends and family of victims.

Reacting to Mr Tigani’s post, one local said: “That’s disgraceful.”

Others thanked the paper for warning about fakes.

A GoFundMe spokesman said the platform had policies to ensure funds went to the intended beneficiary.

They confirmed teams are monitoring, and will continually monitor, vet and verify all fundraisers related to the bus crash.

“We are devastated by the news of the tragic incident in the Hunter Valley,” they said.

“All donations are safely held until the GoFundMe Trust & Safety Team are able to complete their checks to ensure that funds can be transferred safely to the intended beneficiary.

“In the rare case that something isn’t right, our platform is backed by the GoFundMe guarantee, the first and only donor protection guarantee in the industry.”

Alex Tigani is deputy editor of the Hunter River Times. Picture: Instagram.

He was also the MC at the wedding of Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell Picture: Instagram.

Adding to the distress caused by the terrible incident, it has now emerged that two children have been left orphaned after both their parents died coach crash.

Physiotherapist Andrew Scott and his engineer wife Lynan both died in the accident, the worst in Australia in 30 years.

They leave behind two children under five.

The couple played for the Singleton Roosters alongside the bride and groom and many of those who died or were hurt.

Andrew and Lynan Scott died in the coach crash.

Coach driver Brett Andrew Button, 58, from Maitland, was granted bail at Cessnock Local Court on Tuesday.

He sobbed as he was allowed to return home.

Mr Button, who appeared in court in a black jumper and was supported by members of his family, was charged with 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of negligent driving.

Prosecutor Courtney Broom said 10 witnesses gave evidence to police about Mr Button’s “prolonged behaviour and dangerous driving” as she opposed bail.

Brett Andrew Button, the bus driver from the Hunter Valley crash where 10 people died. (Photo by Roni Bintang/Getty Images)

However, Magistrate Robyn Richardson allowed bail due partly to “stringent bail conditions”.

Those conditions include abiding to a curfew between 8pm and 6am unless in the company of certain family members, reporting to police three days a week, surrendering any passports to the officer in charge, not applying for any travel documents and not going within 5km of any international departure point.

Mr Button was ordered to put up $10,000 surety for bail, avoid drugs and alcohol and not occupy a driver’s seat of a motor vehicle.

There were tense scenes outside court as Mr Button’s family pushed past the crowds of media, with a male relative shoving a cameraman as the group left the building.

Mr Button will next face Newcastle Local Court on August 9.