A judge has described Richard Pusey as “probably the most hated man in Australia” after being told how the Porsche driver filmed four dying police officers in the aftermath of the horror crash on the Eastern Freeway.
Pusey has pleaded guilty to outraging public decency and other charges after using his mobile phone to record three minutes and eight seconds of footage on April 22 last year in the moments after a truck crashed into the officers in Kew.
Richard Pusey (right) when arrested last year.Credit:Nine News
Pusey can be heard providing a commentary to his footage and parts of what he said were aired in the County Court on Wednesday, where the public gallery was full of the officers’ families and other police.
Prosecutor Robyn Harper read out what Pusey said, but the footage wasn’t played to the court. Pusey, 42, appeared via video link from jail.
“That is f—ing justice. Absolutely amazing, that is f—ing amazing,” Pusey says as he films a damaged police car.
Then, while filming the truck, he says: “Look at that man, you f—ing c—s. You c—s, I guess I’ll be getting a fucking Uber home, huh”.
Senior Constable Kevin King (left), Constable Josh Prestney, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Glen Humphris were killed on the Eastern Freeway.
Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King and constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney were all hit and killed when a truck driven by Mohinder Singh veered into the emergency lane of the freeway at 5.36pm. Singh was drug-affected and sleep-deprived.
The officers had pulled Pusey over after detecting his Porsche speeding at 149km/h. The driver was at the side of the road urinating when the truck hit the officers and the three stationary vehicles. He was uninjured and, after the filming, fled the scene.
Judge Trevor Wraight on Wednesday acknowledged there had been a wide public condemnation and hatred directed towards Pusey from the public over his offending.
“They have demonised him to the point where he is probably the most hated man in Australia,” Judge Wraight said.
Constable Josh Prestney’s parents, Belinda and Andrew, arrive at the County Court on Wednesday.Credit:Eddie Jim
But defence counsel Dermot Dann, QC, said the extra-curial punishment Pusey had endured, plus the combination of his guilty plea and his mental health problems meant the Porsche driver should not serve any more time in custody.
“Mr Pusey has in fact spent long enough in custody,” Mr Dann said, calling for his client to be assessed for a community correction order.
Pusey has served nine months in custody since the crash and has pleaded guilty to speeding, reckless conduct endangering life and possessing a drug of dependence, alongside the rare charge of outraging public decency. The maximum penalty for the latter charge is at Judge Wraight’s discretion.
Mr Dann said Pusey has struggled for years with anti-social and borderline personality disorders and since the crash had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
The hearing continues.
More to come
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