‘Unguided missile’: fatal crash doctor learns sentence

Aaron Bunch | February 24, 2026

An enraged and heavily intoxicated doctor who killed a young woman in a high-speed crash will serve at least eight-and-a-half years behind bars.

Perth obstetrician Rhys Henry Stone Bellinge, 46, pleaded guilty to unlawfully killing Elizabeth Pearce, 24, while driving his supercharged Jaguar in Perth’s leafy riverside suburb of Dalkeith in February 2025.

He was sentenced in the Western Australian Supreme Court on Tuesday to 10 years and six months imprisonment, with parole eligibility after serving eight years and six months.

“You ruined your own life, as well as those of your victims,” Justice Amanda Forrester said.

The father-of-two had been drinking rum, wine and beer at the football in the hours before the crash at 10.13pm.

He was recorded as having a blood alcohol reading of 0.183 soon after the collision – almost four times over the legal alcohol limit.

Dashcam footage played to the court recorded Bellinge yelling vitriolic profanities about his estranged wife before the crash.

“I hate you … You’re a piece of shit … That is my house … You’re robbing me,” he said before accelerating away outside a home he previously shared with his family.

The footage shows Bellinge’s car speeding down dark suburban streets and tailgating vehicles as he continues to shout vile statements at other drivers and his wife, reaching speeds in excess of 130km/h.

Seconds before the crash, Bellinge’s high-revving Jaguar approaches a sweeping bend in the road, which he failed to negotiate, leading to the collision with an Uber travelling in the opposite direction.

“What a f***wit … I’m so sorry,” Bellinge was recorded saying after the crash.

Ms Pearce was a passenger in the Honda Jazz Uber struck by Bellinge’s Jaguar, which was travelling at 116km/h just before the collision.

The Honda was pushed 40 metres by the impact. Ms Pearce, who was seated in the back of the vehicle, later died in hospital from her injuries.

Outside court, her father Andrew said his daughter was a “beautiful young woman” whose life was full of promise.

“She was smart, she was witty, empathetic, all those good qualities of a decent human being,” he said.

“She didn’t deserve this at all.”

Bellinge dropped his head to his knees and closed his eyes as the sentence was handed down.

The former bricklayer-turned-medico had told police his “emotions went bananas” when he drove to his former family home, and that the visit had triggered him and he was crying as he drove away.

He blamed the incident on a car turning in front of him, and the court heard he had a limited recollection of the events, although Justice Forrester said she doubted this.

“Your car was a powerful weapon that you used an outlet for your anger while fuelled by alcohol,” she said.

With Bellinge speeding and intoxicated, his Jaguar was “an unguided missile that was going to cause death or injury to someone,” prosecutor Justin Whalley said.

Bellinge also pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm while under the influence of alcohol over the injuries to Uber driver Muhammad Usman.

Then aged 25, Mr Usman suffered two broken legs and arm injuries in the late-night collision.

He attended court with the aid of a walking stick.

Bellinge, who was a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, suffered spinal injuries in the incident.

Defence lawyer David Grace said Bellinge, who has been in protective custody while on remand, had been taking powerful prescription drugs and was self-medicating with alcohol.

He was behaving “oddly” and depressed following separation from his wife.

He had also swigged from the rum bottle that police found in his car before the crash, Mr Grace said as he summarised a medical report that pointed to Bellinge’s alcohol abuse.

Bellinge, whose medical licence has been suspended, admitted reckless driving while exceeding the speed limit by 45 km/h and dangerous driving in the days leading up to the crash that killed Ms Pearce.

He was banned on Tuesday from holding a WA driver’s licence for five years.