00:00Survivors and family members of the people killed in Greta united in grief and relief.
00:10Some were surprised by the severity of the sentence given to bus driver Brett Barton,
00:1532 years with a non-parole period of 24.
00:19There was shock and there was also relief and there were a lot of tears.
00:23The result that they got was tremendous for us.
00:28Before learning his fate, Brett Barton was given the chance to speak in court.
00:33I live with this every day and I hate myself.
00:37On the night of the crash, the bus driver told police he was going slow enough.
00:42Today he accepted he was going too fast.
00:47I take responsibility for the death and injuries.
00:50It was no way purposeful and I wasn't negligent.
00:54I'm sorry to everyone involved, I've shamed everyone.
00:58The 59-year-old also admitted to being under the influence of an opioid painkiller that
01:03night, even though doctors had warned him to limit its use.
01:08During his three days in the dock, Barton hung his head, looking like a broken man.
01:13Just metres away were victims' families and survivors who hugged and cried when his
01:18sentence was handed down.
01:21The judge considered 40 victim impact statements and said in his 50 years in the justice system
01:27he had, never dealt with a case that contained anywhere near the devastation.
01:32It will never bring back my beautiful sister Nadine.
01:37It will never bring back my sassy niece Kaya.
01:42I don't think it will bring them back, but I think ultimately it shows that they mattered.
01:48Now a new stage of the grieving process can begin.
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