Brendon Thomas Liddy pleads not guilty to Palumpa driving dangerously causing death charge

The question of who was behind the wheel of a fatal car crash remains hotly contested, with the partner of the accused saying he was with her all day – while two crash survivors say otherwise.

Brendon Thomas Liddy (pictured) has faced his first day of trial.

DAY TWO - June 17: A man accused of crashing a vehicle which killed a 16 year-old boy was bashed by up to fifteen men, a jury has heard, in a day two trial filled with conflicting accounts around the fateful day.

The second day of an expected five-day trial was dominated by the testimonies of multiple witnesses – two of whom survived the crash.

The day started with Jodie Munar, the partner of the accused, Brendon Liddy, who gave her account.

Ms Munar, who shares three children with Mr Liddy, said her partner was sick and by her side at a Palumpa residence on the day of the crash.

She maintained Mr Liddy did not drink alcohol on the day, nor did he get behind the wheel of the car.

She told the court she found out about the crash through a phone call, which was followed 10 minutes later by an angry mob coming to their residence with machetes, axes and knives.

Ms Munar said up to fifteen people started assaulting Mr Liddy, who she said had been in his bedroom.

Crown Prosecutor Daniel Warner-Collins asked if Ms Munar would be left alone with the kids if Mr Liddy went to jail — to which she did not respond.

She said she was worried about him going to jail.

Mr Warner-Collins asked if Ms Munar had been told to “say these things” by Mr Liddy, which she denied.

He also questioned Ms Munar’s claim that she had called police to help her and Mr Liddy from the angry mob.

“Do you know that when you call the police there’s a record?” he asked.

It was heard Mr Liddy ran back to Palumpa (pictured) after the crash.

Ms Munar did not respond.

A second witness, a 17-year-old boy who survived the crash, said Mr Liddy was drunk and drove the vehicle.

The boy said Mr Liddy “ran” from the crash site back to Palumpa while others were “trying to wake up” the 16-year-old who later died.

The witness said a boy named “Stuart” lit the car on fire after the incident – a claim defence lawyer Beth Wild said was “made up”.

“It wasn’t ‘Stuart’ was it?” Ms Wild said.

“You don’t want to tell us who that person is because you don’t want to get them in trouble.”

Ms Wild put to the teenager that he was covering up for someone else.

“You’re lying because you don’t want (your relative) to get in trouble, is that true?” she stated.

“You’re not telling the true story about who was driving.”

Through a translator, the boy’s only response was “Brandon”.

The third witness, a “brother” of the deceased, also told the court Mr Liddy was drinking rum and coke while behind the wheel.

“I saw it with my own eyes,” he said.

Again, Ms Wild questioned who was behind the wheel.

“You’re lying to protect your (relative) is that true?” she asked.

“No, Brendon Liddy was driving,” he said.

The trial continues.

Trial begins for man accused of crashing, killing teenager

DAY ONE - 16 June: A Territory man accused of drunkenly crashing a ute causing the death of a 16 year-old boy has faced his first day of his trial in the NT Supreme Court.

On Monday, Brendon Liddy appeared in court after pleading not guilty to driving dangerously causing death and failing to notify a representative of the police force after the incident following a fatal crash near Palumpa in December 2022.

In his opening address, crown prosecutor Daniel Warner-Collins told the jury “a number of young boys” climbed into a Toyota Ute, with three members in the front and the rest in the tray.

Mr Warner-Collins said the driver was “driving dangerously”, clipped a signpost and oversteered to get back onto the road.

“This caused a number of boys in the tray (to) be thrown,” he said.

Mr Warner-Collins said he expected the crash survivors to give evidence Mr Liddy drove the vehicle. Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

It was heard that after the vehicle “crashed into the scrub”, most of the boys “managed to escape with minor injuries”, except a 16 year-old boy who sustained life-threatening injuries before he was pronounced dead a short time later.

Mr Warner-Collins said he expected crash survivors, residents and the town’s Aboriginal Liaison Officers would say Mr Liddy was behind the wheel.

“(The boys) saw that he was intoxicated and yet they will ask him to take him for a drive,” Mr Warner-Collins said.

“I expect all of those boys will tell you that it was Brendon Liddy driving the car.”

However, while the defence agreed with “a few things” submitted by the crown, defence lawyer Beth Wild said there were “civilian witness” accounts which were “strenuously denied”.

“You might ask yourself if any of the witnesses might have a reason to lie to police to not know the truth,” she told the jury.

“And you might have to look very closely at the relationships involved with the deceased and the witnesses that are giving evidence.”

It was heard the crashed vehicle was later moved and set on fire. Picture: NT Police

Only one witness was called to give evidence - a survivor of the crash who the court heard was sat in the front seat of the vehicle.

Through a translator, the witness maintained Mr Liddy was drunk and behind the wheel of the vehicle when the crash occurred.

During cross-examination, Ms Wild asked the witness if Mr Liddy had been assaulted at a residence after the crash.

“Did you see people kicking him while he was on the ground?” Ms Wild asked.

“Yes,” the witness said.

It was heard that after the crash, the ute had been moved and set alight by unknown persons when Mr Liddy was not in the location.

“Did you hear (another witness) tell ask those other fellas to burn the car?” Ms Wild asked.

“Yeah the other fellas burned the car,” the witness said.

The trial continues.