CDC South East Queensland plead guilty over deaths of mechanics

A Queensland bus company that employed two young mechanics who were killed on the job has plead guilty over its role in their deaths – with an emotional company director apologising outside court.

A Queensland bus company that employed two young mechanics who were killed on the job has plead guilty over its role in their deaths – with an emotional company director apologising outside court.

CDC South East Queensland Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to comply with a health and safety duty – category 2, which means the company exposed a person to risk of death, serious illness or injury.

This carried a maximum penalty of a $1.5 million fine.

The charge comes from a horrific fatal crash on Nambour Connection Rd at Woombye on April 21, 2022, where two of the company’s mechanics, Aaron Pitt, 25, and Lleyton Bartlett, 22, were struck and killed by driver Kelly Renee Liddicoat.

The two men were repairing a broken down CDC bus on the side of the road when the crash occurred.

Lleyton Bartlett (left) and Aaron Pitt (right) were killed by Kelly Liddicoat while they were repairing a broken down bus at Woombye on April 21, 2022.

Liddicoat was found guilty of one charge of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle while adversely affected by an intoxicating substance. She was sentenced to six and a half years behind bars, but will be eligible for parole in April 2026.

Acting Magistrate Anna Smith sentenced the bus company at Maroochydore Magistrates Court on Thursday, July 18.

The company plead guilty and was fined $180,000 plus court fees. A conviction was not recorded.

The mechanics were standing on the driver’s side of the bus, just inside the road shoulder line, when they were struck and killed.

CDC South East Queensland plead guilty of not implementing a safe operation procedure, not providing adequate safety training for staff, and not creating a safe work area – all with catastrophic, life ending consequences.

Ms Smith told the court the broken down bus should have been towed for a cost of just $660 – but that “hindsight was a beautiful thing”.

The court heard the company had been audited and did have safety measures in place – they were just inadequate.

Ms Smith told the court there were foreseeable risks and the defendant had an obligation and responsibility to protect its workers.

She acknowledged the company had no criminal history or similar instances before this one.

“It has an unblemished record but it’s a large company,” she said.

“The defendant co-operated, demonstrated remorse, and assisted families with support.”

Kelly Liddicoat (black hair) leaves Maroochydore Court House. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Ms Smith told the court she also took into account how the bus company had been positively contributing to the Sunshine Coast community for more than 20 years.

She also noted the “devastating” impact on the two mechanics’ families – saying it was one of the most “heartbreaking” cases she’d ever come across as a lawyer and magistrate.

Ms Smith told the court no penalty could ever bring the young men back.

“It’s not at the most serious end because there were measures in place...they just weren’t adequate for working beside the road,” Ms Smith said in court.

“Not at the lowest end of the scale because of the deaths and it was foreseeable that measures should have been implemented especially when away from a managed worksite.”

CDC South East Queensland director Anthony John Hopkins. Picture - Madeline Grace.

The court heard Ms Liddicoat was the greatest contributor to the outcome and had been imprisoned.

Ms Smith said she was satisfied the defendant had adopted more measures, including staff training, to avoid this happening again and showed “a high level of remorse and insight”.

A conviction was not recorded due to the impact it would have on the defendants social wellbeing and its chances of finding future employment.

Outside of court, CDC South East Queensland director Anthony John Hopkins, who was personally not charged, spoke to the company’s involvement in the tragic deaths of the young Sunshine Coast mechanics.

“This was a tragedy and it is unfortunate that it’s happened,” he said.

“We’re very remorseful about it happening.

“There’s always more we could do...hindsight is a wonderful thing.

“There’s no winners here. I feel sorry for the families. Their loss can never be overcome. They both lost sons and that’s a terrible thing.

“My staff were affected as well.

“We’re remorseful, we regret it and the steps we put in place we hope they will lead to an incident like this never happening again.”

Originally published as CDC South East Queensland plead guilty over deaths of mechanics