Two bystanders who were injured when a speeding driver pulled on the handbrake, causing his mother's car to spin out of control, laid bare their suffering as the man responsible found out his fate.
Ewan Jamesson Andrew Howard was sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment in Cessnock Local Court on Friday, August 28, but will serve it in the community.
A man who suffered serious leg injuries and a woman who lives with hearing loss as a result of the crash at the Hunter Economic Zone (HEZ) last year handed victim impact statements to the court as part of the sentencing proceedings.
Judge Robyn Richardson said the man had spoken of his ongoing discomfort and how he struggled with the loss of his independence in the aftermath.
Judge Richardson said the woman had written how her life had changed in ways she could never have imagined, and that the memories of the night continued to haunt her.
Howard was 18 and had only had his red P-plates for two months before he drove his mother's Subaru Liberty at 90kmh along Bromage Road, a known burnout and street racing hotspot with a speed limit of 50kmh, just after midnight on February 16, 2025.
He pulled the handbrake on and lost control. The Subaru travelled backwards and skidded for 33 metres before hitting a kerb and crashing into two vehicles.
The impact left the woman with a fractured skull, and a man with leg injuries that required surgery.
Four other bystanders were taken to hospital for assessment, including two young girls.
A mob of people dragged Howard from the car and kicked and punched him.
A video capturing a bloodied Howard kneeling on the road, being called a "maggot", and being punched in the nose was played to the court.
"He was subject to ... a most gratuitous, humiliating and degrading beating," Judge Richardson said.
The court previously heard Howard had not taken his ADHD medication on the night of the crash. Judge Richardson found his ADHD had affected his decision-making.
She found he was not a "regular participant" in this type of activity.
"He had been encouraged to attend that location by a colleague and attended ... to participate or observe irregular or otherwise unlawful driving activities," she said.
The court heard Howard had accepted responsibility, shown genuine remorse, had no prior convictions and had good prospects of rehabilitation.
But Judge Richardson said the speed was significant, even if the distance was short, and Howard had put a number of people at risk, including himself.
After watching footage and hearing submissions last week, Judge Richardson sentenced Howard to a 20-month intensive correction order with 30 hours of community service.
He was banned from entering the HEZ and lost his licence for two years.
Howard had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, causing bodily harm by misconduct and not wearing a seatbelt.
