A specialist translator called to help the court as Angurugu School teacher Ian De Silva’s fatal crash case progresses

Children who witnessed a 10-year-old boy die in a horror bus crash have been given an exemption as the case against a Territory teacher moves through the legal system.

Ian De silva. Picture: Facebook

The NT’s legal system will call on the only woman in the Territory with the authority to translate witness statements in relation to the death of a 10-year-old boy at Groote Eylandt.

Angurugu School teacher Ian De Silva was charged with unlicensed and dangerous driving causing death following a fatal Top End crash.

Police have alleged De Silva was driving a Toyota four-wheel-drive, owned by the school, when it rolled off the road in December 2021.

Several children were in the vehicle. A 10-year-old boy died at the scene.

Prosecutors have been pushing to move the case to the Supreme Court, however this has been opposed by De Silva’s defence because of the lack of translators.

Ian De silva. Picture: Facebook

Prosecutor Ian Rowbottam told Darwin Local Court on Thursday that “by chance” he had been able to contact the only Groote Eylandt translator with a national accreditation.

“There is a single NAATI level accredited Anindilyakwa interpreter in the Northern Territory,” Mr Rowbottam said.

“And I’ve spoken to her personally.”

Mr Rowbottam said translations at this early stage were extremely rare, but the Director of Public Prosecution was willing to make an exemption.

“Normally the DPP only translates or back-translates language … for all cases, when it comes to trial because of the prohibitive cost,” he said.

“(But) this involves the death of a 10-year-old boy, and other young children witnessed that bloody part of it.

“I’ve pushed a little bit… it may be that we can see a way of getting this done very, very quickly,” he said.

Mr Rowbottam said both the prosecution and the defence would likely need a week to assess the Anindilyakwa sections of the witness statements, which includes interviews with young children.

Judge Alan Woodcock adjourned the matter to October 27.

De Silva has been charged with driving without due care, driving while unlicensed, recklessly endangering life and driving causing death.