The family of a man who was killed after being hit by an unlicensed and speeding driver north of Brisbane have slammed the punishment handed to the man responsible as “ridiculous” after learning he will spend less than two years in jail.
Key points:
- A woman in a second car Brar hit “likely would have died” without surgery
- Ian Seibel’s wife described the current justice system as a “toothless tiger”
- The Indian national will be deported once he serves his prison sentence
Manpreet Singh Brar pleaded guilty in the District Court on Thursday to one count each of dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and driving without a licence.
During a sentencing hearing in Brisbane, the court heard Ian Seibel, 51, was crossing an intersection in Kallangur in the Moreton Bay region with his wife and their dog in November 2020, when they were hit by the 33-year-old’s car.
The court was played graphic dashcam footage of the crash, which showed Brar speeding through a red light, before colliding with another car, then slamming into the couple.
Mr Seibel sustained extensive head injuries and died in hospital several days later.
A woman in the second car was also critically injured and spent more than two weeks in hospital and “likely would have died” without surgery, the court heard.
The court heard Brar, who is an Indian national residing in Australia on a partner visa, had been driving unlicensed since 2016 and continued to do so after the crash, breaching his bail conditions.
He also has a lengthy traffic history dating back several years which included multiple counts of speed.
Crown prosecutor Chris Cook told the court tests also determined Brar had a low level of cocaine and high level of cough medicine in his system, but it was not alleged he was adversely affected by the drugs at the time.
“He was fatigued having used those drugs earlier,” he said
“He shouldn’t have been on the road that day.”
‘A kind, loving, gentle giant’
Mr Cook told the court it was clear from victim impact statements submitted to the court by family members that Mr Seibel was a “much loved” husband, father, son and friend.
“Mr Brar has caused his unnecessary and untimely death through his actions that day,” he said.
In Paula Seibel’s statement, she described her husband as her “best friend” and “better half”.
“I feel like I am less than a whole person now that I don’t have him by my side,” she said.
“I am beyond angry that I have not had the opportunity to spend the rest of my life with this kind, loving, gentle giant.”
Mrs Seibel made an impassioned plea to the judge, urging her to apply the maximum penalty to Brar, calling the current justice system a “toothless tiger.”
“I hope that my voice will not go unacknowledged and that lan will not be victimized once again,” she said.
“Our society is crying out for harsher penalties… Where is the incentive to stop committing crimes when a mere slap on the wrist is the only punishment received?”
Family ‘beaten’ after sentence
Judge Katherine McGinness acknowledged the “enduring heartache” Mr Seibel’s family would suffer but said there were sentencing considerations she had to make under Queensland legislation.
“No sentence I impose can turn back time or alleviate in anyway the profound pain,” she said.
Judge McGinness sentenced Brar to five years in prison wholly suspended after 20 months.
The court heard because he is not an Australian citizen, he would be deported to India upon his release.
Outside court, Mr Seibels son Aaron Seibel said the sentence had left his family “thoroughly beaten”.
“I can’t put it into words how disappointed I am,” he said.
“A man’s life is worth 20 months — it’s ridiculous.”
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