The grieving father of the youngest victim of the Hunter Valley wedding bus crash which claimed 10 lives and injured 25 has told how his loss has caused “an irreparable void that will never be filled”.
Steven Symons — reading from his victim impact statement on Tuesday in Newcastle District Court during the sentence hearing for the bus driver, Brett Button — said the impact of his son Kane’s death had been far-reaching and devastating.
Kane Symons, 21, was killed in the crash on June 11, 2023 alongside his girlfriend Kyah McBride, 22, and her mother Nadene, as they were returning to Singleton after attending a wedding.
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Symons said his son had been given a rare second chance at life after nearly dying when he was 11 from being hit in the head by a golf ball, fracturing his skull.
He suffered significant bleeding to the brain and was in a coma for seven days but he recovered, and the accident profoundly shaped his outlook on life.
“He lived with an acute awareness of how precious life is, embracing every moment with vigour and enthusiasm,” Symons said.
“To lose him now after being given that second chance is a loss that is both cruel and unjust.”
Symons described his son, a champion surf lifesaver, as a beacon of light, warmth and kindness.
“The future we envisioned with him has been stolen from us.
“Kane and I had a special bond. A few weeks before Kane’s death we had the opportunity to travel to Adelaide to watch the football together. That trip was the last time I saw Kane alive.
“Kane’s death has left a void that will never be filled, and the love we had for him and the love he shared for us is lost forever.”
Button, 59, has pleaded guilty to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving.
Prosecutors dropped 10 manslaughter charges against Button after his guilty pleas in a deal criticised by a number of the victims’ families.
Manslaughter charges carry a 25-year maximum jail sentence while the lesser charge of dangerous driving causing death carries a maximum 10-year jail term.
Button was arrested after losing control of the bus taking 35 wedding guests from the Wandin Valley Estate to Singleton about 11.30pm.
The 57-seat bus slammed into a guard rail and rolled onto its side.
Button had taken the roundabout on Wine Country Drive at Greta too fast, telling some passengers ‘”this next part is going to be fun” before the fatal crash in thick fog.
Forensic analysts believe Button took 400mg of the opioid Tramadol in the 24 hours before the crash.
Button accepted his driving ability was impaired by the painkiller, which can cause drowsiness, mental clouding and visual functioning deficiencies.
Button pleaded guilty to the lesser charges after agreeing his driving was dangerous because he had taken more Tramadol than the maximum amount recommended by doctors, engaged in risk-taking behaviour and drove too fast to safely negotiate the roundabout.
The 10 people who died in the crash were: Darcy Bulman, Nadene and Kyah McBride, Kane Symons, Andrew and Lynan Scott, Zach Bray, Angus Craig, Tori Cowburn, and Rebecca Mullen.
Many on board were members of the Singleton Roosters Australian Rules Football club and had earlier attended the wedding of Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell.
The sentence hearing continues.