The 18-year-old Sydney teenager accused of driving into a crowd of Newcastle Knights fans, leaving ten people injured, has been refused bail.
Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe appeared in the Newcastle Bail Court today, where he faced a suite of serious charges, including three counts of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, three counts of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and three counts of causing bodily harm by misconduct. He did not apply for release, and bail was formally refused.
The incident occurred on Saturday morning in Wallsend as thousands of passionate Newcastle Knights fans gathered along the streets to bid farewell to their team ahead of the grand final. Tragedy struck at a roundabout on Newcastle Link Road when a car ploughed into the crowd. Police allege that Mr. Samarasinghe had been driving erratically in the moments leading up to the collision.
In the immediate aftermath, chaos erupted as witnesses screamed and members of the crowd, understandably distressed and angered by the carnage, reportedly turned on the driver and his passengers. Police were forced to physically shield the occupants of the vehicle to restore order until they were taken into custody.
The human toll of the crash remains significant. While four victims have since been discharged from hospital, six others remain under medical care. A five-year-old girl and a 67-year-old man, who were initially listed as critical, have shown slight improvement and are currently in serious but stable conditions at John Hunter Hospital. Two other young girls, aged five and two, along with a 31-year-old woman and a 48-year-old man, also remain in hospital in stable condition.
During his brief court appearance via audio-visual link, Mr. Samarasinghe sat with his head bowed, wearing a red, white, and yellow t-shirt. His lawyer appeared from Sydney as the court heard that the most serious charge—dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm—carries a maximum jail term of seven years.
Presiding over the hearing, the judge expressed concern regarding the teenager’s welfare, noting that his health required immediate attention while he remains in custody.
“I endorse a warrant to say that medical attention is required for the young man with serious offences pending,” the judge stated, adding that a medical team would be tasked with reviewing his general health, which would likely include a comprehensive mental health assessment.
Mr. Samarasinghe, who was handcuffed throughout the proceedings, will remain behind bars until his case returns to court on October 15. The investigation into the circumstances of the crash is ongoing.
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