‘Unborn baby did not get a chance’
KILTS, pipe bands and Scottish dancing will be the flavour of the day when Geelong hosts its annual Highland Gathering next month.
The March 17 event will mark 162 years since the inaugural Geelong Highland Gathering was held in 1858.
Osborne Park in North Geelong is playing host to this year’s meeting, with a range of drawcards set to see a strong crowd of more than 1000 people in attendance.
The attractions include Highland and Scottish dancing, pipe bands and the South Pacific Heavy Games Championships.
There will also be food, drinks and goods available, as well as free entertainment for children.
The one-day event will run from 9am to 6pm. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for concession and $8 for children aged 5 to 16. A family ticket (two adults, two children) is $40.
For more details, visit geelonghighlandgathering. org.au. A MOTHER whose unborn baby died after a driver high on ice ploughed into her car has told a court of the guilt she feels because she wasn’t able to protect her child.
Amanda Davies was 31 weeks pregnant when Shane Bausch, 58, crashed into the driver’s side of her Holden Commodore as she drove on the Midland Highway, Bannockburn.
She told the Geelong County Court yesterday “a cloud of physical, emotional and mental pain” has followed her since the March 2016 crash.
“What upsets me the most is that my daughter didn’t get a chance,” Ms Davies said. “It makes me feel like I failed my job as a mother.”
The court heard Ms Davies was due to give birth to the “healthy” girl 48 days after the crash. And that the baby had been named and her nursery was prepared.
“I remember the genuine excitement I had at that point,” Ms Davies said.
The court heard the baby’s connection to Ms Davies’ placenta was cut due to her injuries in the crash, which included a broken pelvis and fractured ribs and spine.
The court was told Bausch lied about having drugs in his system when asked by police after the crash. A blood test later revealed ice and a cocktail of other prescription medication in his system.
Yesterday Bausch, of Bell Post Hill, pleaded guilty to drug-driving, having previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing serious injury.
Crown prosecutor Yildana Hardjadibrata said a witness estimated Bausch was travelling at more than 100km/h in a 60km/h zone on the wrong side of Clyde Hill Rd in the minutes before the crash.
The court heard a reconstruction of the crash revealed Bausch was travelling at 41km/ h when he hit Ms Davies’ car and that the accelerator of Bausch’s car was fully depressed 2.5 seconds before the crash.
Clinical psychologist Matt Treeby, who assessed Bausch, told the court the accused’s cognitive state meant he had poor attention to visual detail.
The court heard Bausch suffered an acquired brain injury after he was in two serious car accidents as a teenager.
Mr Lynch pushed for a community corrections order for Bausch given the 94 days he’s already served. Mr Hardjadibrata said jail was warranted.
Bausch’s daughters told the court their father was extremely remorseful for his actions. “It’s something that he has struggled to live with,” his daughter said.
Ms Davies told the court she is campaigning to change “outdated” laws that don’t recognise a foetus as a life until it takes a breath.
Bausch, who is in custody, will return to court on March 6 to be sentenced.