CLAIM MAN KNEW OF FAULTY BRAKES

A CLIFTON Springs man allegedly knew one of the brakes on his four-wheel drive was deliberately disabled before the crash that killed his teenage girlfriend’s younger sister.

P-plater Liam Davis, 20, appeared in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday charged with culpable driving over the death of talented young Barwon Heads singer Sarah Crimmins.

The girl, 16, died after being “partially ejected” from Mr Davis’s 1995 Nissan Patrol 4WD on an unmade gravel road at Gellibrand soon before 2.30pm on November 11 last year.

Her sister, 18-year-old Louise, was Mr Davis’s girlfriend, and was also in the car, the court heard. She suffered bruises, cuts and emotional trauma, prosecutor Senior Constable Kerrie Moroney said.

Police charged Mr Davis yesterday, alleging he knew one of the braking mechanisms on his car was not working before the fatal crash.

Allegedly, the man had some backyard repairs done to his vehicle by a friend and chose to have the brake disabled, rather than repaired.

The court was told the man was made aware his vehicle would be harder to control and would pull to the left because of the works.

The Nissan suffered only moderate damage in the crash.

Victoria Police mechanical investigators inspected it afterwards and found the failed brake probably contributed to the tragedy, the court heard.

Mr Davis, an apprentice plumber who lives with his parents in Clifton Springs, applied for bail in Geelong Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

The court was told he had been co-operating with the police investigation and getting mental health assistance, including counselling.

Magistrate Cynthia Toose said the accused man’s age, clean criminal record, the fact he had a job and a stable address combined to justify granting his bail application.

Ms Toose ordered he return to court on July 20.