Porsche driver Richard Pusey pleads guilty over Eastern Freeway tragedy
The Porsche driver at the centre of the Melbourne highway incident pleads guilty, but says he deserves a lenient sentence.
Millionaire menace Richard Pusey has finally fessed up to his repugnant behaviour in the aftermath of the Eastern Freeway police tragedy — but he says he deserves a lenient sentence for doing so.
The lead-footed Porsche driver pleaded guilty in Victoria’s County Court on Monday, bringing an end to a stalemate between his legal counsel and the prosecution.
Both parties had refused to back down from the outraging public decency charge, which has not been used in Australia for 100 years.
But in a hearing earlier this month, Pusey, 42, waved a white flag and indicated he would plead guilty to the rare offence in a plea deal with the prosecution that would see other dangerous driving-related charges downgraded.
On Wednesday he officially entered his guilty plea to three charges including the outraging public decency charge, one of reckless conduct endangering serious injury relating to speeding on March 21, 2020. And one of possess drugs of dependence on April 23, after drugs including ketamine, MDMA and methylamphetamine were found at his home during search.
The Herald Sun was prohibited from reporting the resolution until now due to a court-ordered suppression order.
At the time, top barrister Dermot Dann QC, for Pusey, told the court his client had advised him he was willing to plead guilty to ensure the matter did not drag on any further.
“It seems the only way this matter can resolve is if Mr Pusey pleads guilty to the outraging public decency,” Mr Dann said.
“I will be submitting he deserves a very significant discount for that plea to that charge. I would be submitting there is no jail whatsoever.”
Judge Trevor Wraight labelled the concession “very sensible” saying if the case did not resolve it could drag on in the courts for “a very long time”.
He agreed that Pusey would get the utilitarian benefit for admitting his crimes, but said he would likely be facing jail time.
The plea comes after Mr Dann unsuccessfully argued in the magistrates court last year that the charge of outraging public decency no longer existed in Australia.
The common law offence does not have a maximum penalty with punishment at the sentencing judge’s discretion.
The charge relates to the mortgage broker’s filming of the crash site and zooming in on the bodies of Leading Sen Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Josh Prestney and Constable Glen Humphris.
All four officers were killed when a truck — driven by Mohinder Singh — veered into the emergency lane where they had stopped Pusey for speeding on April 22 last year.
Pusey avoided injury because he had walked towards grassland to urinate when he heard the “bang”.
Instead of using his skills obtained as a former registered nurse to help, Pusey grabbed his mobile phones from the wreck of his car and started filming the horrific scene.
He zoomed in on Leading Sen-Constable Taylor as she called for help, giving vulgar commentary about how “all I wanted to do was go home and have my sushi”.
“There you go. Amazing. Absolutely amazing,” Mr Pusey can be heard saying on the video. “Now you’ve f---ed my f---ing car.”
He soon after fled the scene, later messaging an associate a photo of the crime scene, joking that he “hoped to get out of the fine”.
Pusey was initially charged with 15 offences, including reckless conduct endangering life, destroying evidence, committing an act outraging public decency and behaving in an indecent manner. He was never charged over the death of the officers.
Four charges were last year struck out by a magistrate who claimed there was insufficient evidence to make them out.
One of the charges withdrawn was failing to render assistance, but it was deemed Pusey was not required to remain at the scene as he had not been the driver of his vehicle for 30 minutes as it was being impounded.
Appearing via videolink from prison on Monday, Pusey pleaded guilty to five offences, including the outraging public decency charge and speeding and drug possession.
Last year, when details first emerged of Pusey’s video recordings at the crash scene, then Police Commissioner Graham Ashton remarked that it was a reminder “evil walks among us”.
Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt also weighed in, calling Pusey’s behaviour “soulless”.
“Four police heroes died and one coward lived,” Sgt Gatt said.
The Herald Sun
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