Hunter Valley bus crash driver charged with 26 new offences

The driver of the bus that crashed in the Hunter Valley, killing 10 wedding guests on board, has been charged with 26 further offences.

Brett Button was driving a coach transporting 35 guests from a wedding on June 11 last year when the vehicle rolled over at a roundabout on Wine Country Drive at Greta.

Brett Button is set to face 26 extra charges stemming from the Hunter Valley bus tragedy.Credit: Janie Barrett

The fresh charges include 10 counts of manslaughter for those killed in the crash and 16 counts of furious driving causing bodily harm.

The charges represent a significant upgrade in terms of legal severity, with Button facing a maximum of 25 years in prison for each manslaughter charge.

Button is now facing 89 charges in total. Two days after the crash, Button was charged with 11 offences including 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death and one count of negligent driving occasioning death.

A second lot of charges laid in August brought the total to 63 and included dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, causing bodily harm by misconduct, and negligent driving.

Ten bus passengers were killed in the Hunter Valley crash on June 11.

The passengers killed included a junior medical officer with Hunter New England Local Health District, Rebecca Mullen, football-mad mother and daughter Kyah and Nadene McBride, and bowel cancer survivor Zach Bray.

Button is currently out on conditional bail. He will face court again on Wednesday, where he will hear the new charges.

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