The family of a “kind and generous” father killed by a drunk driver has told an Adelaide court they will never forgive the “selfish” man responsible.
Key points:
- 39-year-old Nick Peart was killed in a crash at Brukunga
- His children give the judge artwork to show their loss
- Killer driver Campbell Henderson will be sentenced next month
Campbell Henderson, of Mount Barker, pleaded guilty to causing the fatal Easter Monday crash at Brukunga in 2021, by dangerous driving.
The 29-year-old was three times over the legal blood alcohol limit and was driving almost 40 kilometers an hour over the speed limit when he lost control of his ute and crashed into a tree.
His passenger Nick Peart, 39, died at the scene.
The crash was just meters from the houses of the men, who were neighbours.
Mr Peart’s high school sweetheart and partner of 26 years — Elaine Revi-Peart — told the District Court her husband had paid the “ultimate price” for trusting a friend.
“I feel I have been condemned to loneliness for the rest of my life,” she told the court in her victim impact statement.
“We tried to be there at any and every way we could, this desire to help the defendant and willingness to trust them that was the major contributor… that led to my husband’s abrupt death.
“I think it’s important to state how good of a man the world has lost on that Easter Monday.
“He was non-judgmental, kind, tolerant, generous.
“I know the defendant made a choice to drive, and as far as I’m concerned he deserves to suffer any and all of the consequences that are coming to him.”
Children want drunk driver jailed
The court heard Mr Peart and Henderson were neighbors and had become friends – Mr Peart’s children even referred to him as an uncle.
The three children provided artwork to Judge Joana Fuller and told her they missed their dad and “hate” Henderson for taking him away from them.
One said he wanted to give Henderson “a knuckle sandwich”, Mr Peart’s daughter said she wanted to see him “leave in handcuffs and prison clothes”.
“I have lost my dad, my role model, best friend, hero and a piece of my heart, soul and joy,” his daughter told the court.
“I love and miss you Dad”.
The court heard the “staunch environmentalist” had planted more than one million trees as part of his conservation and regeneration work.
Mr Peart’s mother, Wendy, told the court she was living a nightmare following the “senseless loss” of her firstborn child.
“We’ve all seen reports of road deaths on the television and felt sorry for the loss of that person and feel sad for the family,” she told the court.
“But until it happened to us never could I have imagined the utter heartbreak it would inflict on all of our lives.”
Henderson apologized for the “irreparable damage” he had caused to the family and friends of his best friend.
“There is not a day that goes by that I don’t miss him and the suffering that I have caused his family,” he said.
“It is not fair that my actions have placed his family in this position.
“All I can say is I am sorry for what I have done and if there is any way I could trade places with Nick I would.”
Henderson’s lawyer James Marcus told the court his client made an “exceptionally stupid” decision to drive that day while drunk and that it was “out of character behaviour.”
Mr Marcus told the court Henderson spent weeks in hospital after the crash, had suffered ongoing physical and mental health issues and had a limited memory of the crash.
The court heard Henderson had no criminal history and was likely to be deported to the United Kingdom upon his release from prison.
His lawyer asked for Henderson to be spared jail and serve his sentence on home detention which the prosecution opposed.
Henderson will be sentenced next month.
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