Hunter Valley wedding bus driver, Brett Button, loses appeal over 32-year jail sentence
A driver who killed 10 people in a wedding bus crash in the Hunter Valley has been unsuccessful in his appeal against his 32-year jail term.
Bus driver Brett Button, 58, was behind the wheel of a bus when it flipped on Wine Country Drive near Greta in NSW on the way back from a wedding reception on June 11, 2023.
More than two dozen people were also injured in the crash.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Button was sentenced to 32 years behind bars with a non-parole period of 24 years last year, however, he launched a fight against his sentence.
In the Supreme Court of Sydney on Friday, Button’s appeal was dismissed.
An appeal hearing took place in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in October where Button’s lawyer, Paul Rosser KC, argued his client’s sentence was excessive.
“We submit that the 32 years for a single act, albeit with catastrophic consequences, is simply too much,” Mr Rosser said.
Crown Prosecutor Sally Dowling SC rejected the claim, stating 10 families had lost a family member.
Andrew Scott, 35, his wife Lynan Scott, 33, Nadene McBride, 52, her daughter Kyah McBride, 22, and her partner, Kane Symons, 21, Darcy Bulman, 30, Rebecca Mullen, 26, Zachary Bray, 29, Tori Cowburn, 29, and Angus Craig, 28, were all killed in the crash.
Button’s appeal also hinged on claims the sentencing judge made mistakes finding he “drove knowing he was under the influence” of the opioid-based painkiller Tramadol, and in finding the tipping threshold for the bus was 31km/h.
Button had taken “significantly more” than his prescribed dose of Tramadol on the day of the crash, and a doctor previously found he was addicted to the opioid and did not tell operator Linq Buslines he was taking it.
Button initially faced 10 counts of manslaughter, however; they were ultimately dropped after prosecutors agreed to a plea deal, much to the anger of the victims’ families.
He was sentenced over 10 counts of dangerous driving occasioning death, nine of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and 16 of drive motor vehicle furiously and cause bodily harm.
He will be eligible for parole in 2048.
More to come...
Originally published as Hunter Valley bus crash driver Brett Button has appeal dismissed
