Family of Hamilton man killed in collision speak of their grief in court

Jason Young, 48, was lying on the ground in Hamilton's Henry Court on March 10, 2020, when he was hit by a reversing silver Nissan Pulsar shortly after 3am. He sustained fatal injuries and died at the scene.

Dale Kennett, 54, of Hamilton, was last year found guilty of dangerous driving causing death.

He was found to have cannabis and a high level of ice in his system when he quickly reversed his vehicle and hit something that he thought was a wheelie bin or a box.

His vehicle only had one headlight and the windows were foggy.

Kennett told police he was attacked by a third man and wanted to get away because he thought he would be assaulted.

The jury found him not guilty of failing to render assistance after an accident.

During a plea hearing in the County Court of Victoria on Wednesday, Jason's mother Robin said it was hard to accept the way her son died.

"It was a terrible death that left tyre marks on his body," she wrote in a victim impact statement.

"A dangerous person driving a car in a dangerous manner took the right of life from our son without any remorse whatsoever."

Mrs Young said her son was an intelligent and brilliant artist who built his own computer.

She said that since the fatal incident, her and her husband Graham's health had deteriorated significantly.

"Only a small fraction of me exists today. The rest of me died the day Jason was killed," she said.

Mr Young's sister Tammy said Kennett's choice to drive destroyed her family and took a life he had no right to take.

She said her parents had suffered the "ultimate grief" of losing their son.

"Seeing my brother, their son, dead on the road is a cruel memory they will have forever," she said.

Barrister Campbell Thomson said no one in the position of Kennett could have seen the victim lying on the road and the court should find the objective dangerousness of his driving as low.

He said his client had an acquired brain injury and had served more than 260 days in custody on remand.

Kennett will be sentenced on March 3.

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