Man jailed over baby son’s death in horror smash

A 25-year-old dad was driving double the speed limit and three-times over the legal BAC when he crashed his car, killing his baby.

A man has been jailed for at least seven years after reaching speeds of up to 200kmph while drunk-driving, crashing the car, and causing the death of his three-month-old son.

James Farmer, 25, was on Tuesday sentenced in Western Australia’s Supreme Court to nine years and nine months prison over the April 2018 crash on the Kwinana Fwy through Perth’s southern suburbs.

The court heard Farmer was on his P-plates when he was spotted doing burnouts in the suburb of Baldivis shortly before the crash, with his partner and infant child in the vehicle.

He was then spotted throwing up at a nearby service station, before entering the Kwinana Fwy at speeds estimated between 180-200kmph.

James Farmer was on Tuesday sentenced to nine years nine months prison over the April 2018 crash which resulted in the death of his three-month-old son. Picture: Ross Swanborough

He left the road and hit a power-pole, ripping it from the ground, throwing all three occupants from the vehicle, and causing it to roll a number of times.

The court heard while there was a baby capsule in the Holden sedan, it wasn’t properly secured, with the front seats pushed back to hold the capsule in place.

The baby died from its injuries, while Farmer’s partner, 18 at the time, suffered multiple injuries.

A breath test following the crash found Farmer, 20 at the time, was three times over the legal blood alcohol limit.

His lawyer, Jonathan Davies, told the court on Tuesday his client should be given the chance to rehabilitate, and that he had “no true memory” of the crash due to his excessive drinking.

Mr Davies told the court his client had feelings of “deep failure towards his family.”

In sentencing, Supreme Court Justice Sam Vandongen called Farmer’s behaviour “outrageously dangerous,” and that he had driven “like a maniac.”

Farmer will be eligible for parole after having served seven years nine months of his sentence.