‘Hard day’ for teen’s family as killer cop sentenced
Will Nicholas |
For grieving father Lachlan Wright, it was never about the sentence.
But a NSW-first punishment for the police officer who killed his son has at least delivered some closure.
“It’s a hard day, ’cause you go through a lot of memories,” he told reporters.
Benedict Bryant was found guilty in November of dangerous driving occasioning death after he parked his unmarked car in front of a stolen trail bike ridden by Jai Wright in 2022.
The 16-year-old Bunghutti man hit with the car and was thrown off the bike, sustaining critical head injuries. He died in hospital the following day.
On Friday, Bryant was sentenced to a two-year intensive corrections order – a term of imprisonment served in the community.
It is the first time in NSW a police officer has been held criminally responsible for an Aboriginal death during a police operation, according to the Aboriginal Legal Service.
Retribution in the form of a highly punitive sentence was less important to Jai’s family, Mr Wright told reporters outside court.
“That wasn’t what it was about for us”, he said.
“This shows that something went terribly wrong and people have to be held accountable.”
He was pleased Bryant had been given 500 hours of community service, saying it would give him time to reflect on his mistakes.
“A conviction is a conviction no matter what”, Mr Wright said.
Jai’s mother Kylie Aloua previously said she didn’t want Bryant to be jailed so his family don’t have to suffer the same loss she feels.
During her sentencing remarks, Judge Jane Culver described that wish as eloquent “in a way that is utterly humbling” as she relayed a victim impact statement written by Ms Aloua, to a chorus of sobs from the gallery.
“Every ambulance siren, every police siren, every rushed footstep takes me straight back to that moment”, Ms Aloua wrote.
Judge Culver was visibly moved by the words, addressing Jai’s mother directly.
“Your son certainly mattered and continues to matter,” she said.
An overflow court room was needed to accommodate the dozens of family members and friends who had descended on Sydney’s Downing Centre District Court to hear Bryant sentenced.
Many were sporting T-shirts bearing Jai’s face.
They gave an emotional cry as the penalty was handed down, which includes a three-year driver licence suspension.
“No sentence can ever measure the value of a human life, especially not a life tragically lost so young, a life not fully lived, a life that matters,” Judge Culver said.
The judge found Bryant should have known placing his car in Jai’s path without lights and sirens on could have caused a collision that posed a serious risk to the 16-year-old.
He should have guessed someone disobeying road rules and showing no signs of slowing would not stop at the end of a bike lane, she said.
“The offender ought to have known that where he placed his vehicle was fraught with danger”.
The judge nevertheless found it possible Bryant wrongly believed he was parking the car out of harm’s way, reducing the officer’s moral culpability.
Bryant had minimal remorse and was instead “predominantly occupied with appealing his future sentence” and supposed anti-police sentiment, Judge Culver said.
Outside court, Bryant’s solicitor Paul McGirr maintained the 48-year-old was not to blame for the tragedy.
“A life has been lost, that life could have been spared”, Mr McGirr told reporters.
“If people were at home, not doing home invasions and stealing vehicles, we wouldn’t be here.”
He made plain Bryant would appeal the conviction and sentence.
“This particular officer, who is a proud officer and wants to continue to be an officer, is on the streets protecting people,” Mr McGirr said.
“This particular decision fails the pub test.”
Bryant remains a police officer despite being convicted. His employment status is under review.
Lachlan Wright seemed apprehensive about potential appeal proceedings as he addressed the media.
“It’d be good not to come back to court to be honest and just get on as a family”, he said.
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AAP