Teen who hit South Australia Commissioner’s son handed suspended sentence

ABC NEWS (Australia)

The 19-year-old who hit and killed the son of South Australia’s Police Commissioner with his car at schoolies celebrations last year, has had his sentence suspended. Charlie stevens suffered an irreversible brain injury and died in hospital.

Transcript

00:00Dhirren Randhawa has been handed a suspended sentence in South Australia's District Court

00:07this morning.

00:08Judge Joanne Tracey ordered his sentence of one year, one month and seven days, with a

00:13non-parole period of seven months, be suspended on the condition he be of good behaviour for

00:18two years.

00:19Judge Tracey also suspended Randhawa's licence for a period of ten years.

00:24The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to one charge of aggravated driving without due care and

00:29leaving the scene of a crash at Galwa Beach, south of Adelaide, in November last year.

00:34Charlie Stephens, who's the son of the state's police commissioner, was hit by Randhawa's

00:39car and later died in hospital after suffering an irreversible brain injury.

00:44The more serious charge of causing death by dangerous driving and a charge of failing

00:49to truly answer questions were dropped.

00:52In sentencing, Judge Joanne Tracey considered his genuine remorse, his youth, his lack of

00:57prior offending and the fact that he had taken responsibility for his actions.

01:02It was a sombre mood in the courtroom today, which was mostly packed with members of the

01:06Stephens family.

01:08Outside of court, police commissioner Grant Stephens says his family are grateful that

01:12this part of the process is over and for the community's ongoing support.

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