The mother of a teenager killed in a high-speed crash on Christmas Eve has spoken of her heartbreak as the P-plater responsible for his death prepares to be sentenced.
Nicholas Hoenselaars, 18, was the front-seat passenger in a Mitsubishi Lancer driven by Savyo Khamou — also aged 18 at the time — in December 2020 when it crashed into a power pole at high speed at Leppington, moments after the vehicle was pursued by police.
The two teenagers were thrown from the car and the impact was so severe the car split in two.
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Hoenselaars died at the scene, while Khamou was taken to hospital under police guard.
He pleaded guilty to one charge of manslaughter over the fatal crash in December last year and faced a sentence hearing in the Parramatta District Court on Wednesday.
In a victim impact statement, Hoenselaars’ mother told the court her son was her best friend, as Khamou and his family watched on.
“(Nicholas) was a boy who made me a mum,” the court heard.
“He was the boy who made our life better. He had a smile that lit up the room. He was loved by all, old and young.
“He was my best friend, we did everything together. He was a part of me and I have forever lost a part of myself.”
Hoenselaars was an avid lover of soccer, his mother said, and he played, refereed and coached local teams.
He had finished high school in 2019 and had plans to go to university and live overseas.
“Nicholas’s life was just starting to flourish,” his mum told the court.
“He will never get married, he will never see his brother get married, he will never have children.
“He will never get to fulfil his dreams to travel.
“The world has lost a beautiful soul who was destined for greatness.
“Our scars run deep and our family is shattered. We will always be lost.”
She told the court of the anguish of having to identify her son’s body, pick out his coffin and a song to play at his funeral.
She added she hoped the sentence to be handed down would provide justice for her son.
“We don’t forgive and we don’t forget,” she said.
Following his death, local soccer clubs he was involved with remembered him as an “all-round young man”.
“Nicholas had a massive soft heart who had time for everyone,” Sydney City Eagles wrote.
Khamou was cross-examined during the hearing, telling the court he had suicidal thoughts after being arrested following the crash.
He spent three weeks in custody before being released on bail in January 2021.
The court heard Khamou was caught speeding two months before the crash.
He had held his P-plates since January that year and had been speeding on the night of the crash.
After leaving a restaurant, the two teenagers had decided to go see Christmas lights.
On their way, Khamou was detected speeding and attempts were made by highway patrol to pull him over.
He told the court he evaded police because he feared losing his licence.
He was pursued by police and at one point before the crash, had been travelling at 157km/h.
Khamou told the court he did not remember the crash and just had flashes of the night, but he remembered seeing Hoenselaars lying on the ground afterwards.
Judge Stephen Hanley formally convicted Khamou of manslaughter.
He sobbed and hugged his family moments before his bail was revoked and he was taken into custody.
Judge Hanley said he would be sentenced to a term of imprisonment when the matter returns to court next week.
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