Callum Thorne, who allegedly caused double-fatal crash in Nangwarry near Mount Gambier, son of court sheriff’s officer, court told

A young man accused of using his phone before allegedly slamming into the back of a family car has returned to court – which heard his dad works in the court system.

A young man accused of using his phone when he killed two beloved children in a horror crash along a South-East highway is the son of a full-time court employee, a court has heard.

Callum Thorne, 22, faced the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Tuesday via video link from Mount Gambier – where it has since been revealed his dad works as courtroom sheriff’s officer.

Mr Thorne is alleged to have slammed into the back of a family car on the Riddoch Highway last year – with prosecutors claiming the phone he’s accused to have been on at the time of the crash remains missing nearly ten months later.

Callum Thorne leaves court after his first appearance last year. Picture: Dylan Hogarth

Nicholas Healy, for Mr Thorne, told Magistrate Simon Smart he was content with the matter being adjourned to September – at which point his client is expected to enter pleas to two counts of cause death by dangerous driving and two counts of cause harm by dangerous driving.

He further told the court Mr Thorne’s matter would need to remain being heard in Adelaide as his client was “the son of a full-time sheriff’s officer in Mount Gambier”.

In South Australia, sheriff’s officers provide court orderly services, security, and enforcement of court orders. They are responsible for maintaining order within the courtroom, ensuring the safety of jurors, and serving legal documents like summonses and warrants.

Mr Thorne was charged by Major Crash Investigation Section officers last October after the devastating three-car collision about 5kms south of Nangwarry, near Mount Gambier.

Police previously said the crash occurred after a woman driving a black Holden sedan collided with an emu on the highway. She was not injured.

Mr Thorne’s car following the collision. Picture: 9 NEWS

A grey Toyota station wagon driven by the Eykelenburg family braked to avoid a collision with the Holden sedan.

Seconds later, a white Nissan ute, allegedly driven by Mr Thorne, crashed into the back of the Toyota.

The Eykelenburgs’ five-year-old son Isaac, who was a passenger in the Toyota, tragically died at the scene.

His 15-year-old sister Keziah suffered critical injuries and succumbed to her injuries in hospital.

On Tuesday, defence lawyer Nicholas Healy, for Mr Thorne, said no pleas or negotiations had commenced with the prosecution. Two separate counts of causing harm by dangerous driving were withdrawn.

Isaac Eykelenburg, 5 …

… and his sister Keziah, 15, both died from the crash.

Earlier this year, a prosecutor told Mr Smart they wanted an adjournment given the “complexity of the file” – alleging police were still searching for a phone they believe belongs to Mr Thorne that was missing from the scene of the crash.

“There’s assertions that the accused was using a mobile phone at the time of the accident,” they alleged.

“The phone went missing from the crash site – a ping was then located at the accused’s parents’ house, then the phone went dead and police searched the property and couldn’t locate the phone,” they said. “It (still) hasn’t been found.”

Mr Thorne has “vehemently” denied police allegations he was on his phone at the time of the crash.

Previously, the court heard allegations Mr Thorne’s phone was being concealed.

No charges have been laid in relation to those allegations and his mother and father have not been accused of any wrongdoing.

On Tuesday, Mr Smart adjourned the matter and remanded Mr Thorne on continuing bail to return to court in September.

Originally published as Callum Thorne, who allegedly caused double-fatal crash in Nangwarry near Mount Gambier, son of court sheriff’s officer, court told