Hunter Valley bus crash survivor Nick Dinakis says he lost love of his life in heartbreaking sentencing submission

A survivor of a horrific bus crash which claimed 10 lives and injured 25 has told a court how he lost the love of his life and would never forgive the driver.

Nick Dinakis had been returning on the bus to Singleton with partner Darcy Bulman after a wedding in the Hunter Valley when Brett Button’s dangerous driving caused the bus to roll on its side.

Reading from a statement on Monday during an expected three-day sentence hearing for Button, Mr Dinakis said he was a broken man and nothing he was about to say would remotely represent what had happened to him.

“You’ve broken me physically, you’ve scarred my body, and worst of all you’ve broken my heart and mind,” Mr Dinakis told Button.

“On June 11 last year, not only did you leave me close to death and in ICU with a broken neck, glass and debris throughout my face like shrapnel, and with a brain injury I am likely to never recover from, you ruined my career, my ability to work at the top of my game.”

Mr Dinakis said he had spent four months in a neck brace relying on others for help and the ripple effect of Button’s “selfish and dangerous actions” had been enormous.

He said the worst part had been how Button had killed his love and best friend, Darcy Bulman.

The couple had met at high school and she was, and always would be, his unconditional love.

“She loved me more than anyone other than my own mother. She was my forever person,” Mr Dinakis said.

He had been planning to propose to Darcy, an Australian Securities and Investments Commission investigator in Melbourne, during a trip to Europe this year.

“You killed her. You took away her opportunity to become the one thing she had always dreamed of (being), a mother.

“You killed my family, the future mother of my children, my future wife, my best friend.

“There is no punishment large enough that can soften the blow of the senseless, careless and stupid crime you’ve committed.

“You killed 10 highly skilled and respected people. I hope the image of Darcy Kate Bulman and the nine other beautiful humans you killed are tattooed in your brain.”

Judge Roy Ellis had earlier asked for restraint in a packed Newcastle District Court.

He said the lengthy sentence he would impose was about justice.

“Justice for the offender and justice for the victims of his crime and their families,” he said.

“However, justice is not about revenge.

“But it is about accountability, deterrence and punishment.”

Button 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.

Button lost control of the bus taking 35 wedding guests from the Wandin Valley Estate to Singleton about 11.30pm on June 11, 2023.

He took a roundabout at Greta too fast, telling some passengers “This next part is going to be fun” before the fatal crash in thick fog.

The bus slammed into a guard rail and rolled onto its side.

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 McBride and her daughter , Kyah, Kane Symons, Andrew Scott and his wife Lynan, 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 sentencing hearing continues.