Cop killer learns fate

THE truck driver who hit and killed four police officers will spend at least 18 years behind bars for his “chilling” crime.

Mohinder Singh, 48, was drug-affected, sleep-deprived and experiencing hallucinations when he veered his 20tonne prime mover into the emergency lane of the Eastern Freeway in Melbourne on April 22 last year.

Officers Lynette Taylor, Glen Humphris, Josh Prestney and Kevin King were all killed in the line of duty.

The four officers had pulled over Porsche driver Richard Pusey after he was caught speeding at Kew moments before Singh (pictured) ploughed his truck into the three stationary cars.

Pusey, who had stepped away to urinate, was not injured.

Singh did not attempt to brake or take evasive action until after the crash.

Singh last month pleaded guilty to four counts of culpable driving causing death and other drug-related offences.

In sentencing the father-oftwo to a maximum 22 years in prison, Supreme Court Justice

Paul Coghlan acknowledged that for the families of the fallen officers it was the end of just one episode of the “terrible saga”.

The court heard that in the days leading up to the tragedy, Singh had been on a days-long ice binge, consuming and even dealing drugs between his trucking deliveries.

Singh told friends and family members he could see “stick people” and “ghosts” and believed he was being stalked by a witch.

His wife and two adult children said his mental state had deteriorated in recent years but that he refused to seek medical help.

The court on Wednesday heard Singh had visited his GP five times in the past six years and never mentioned any psychiatric issues.

Forensic psychiatrist, Associate Professor Andrew Carroll, examined Singh and gave evidence Singh was “actively psychotic” at the time he made the decision to get behind the wheel of the truck.

Justice Coghlan found, however, that Singh knew he should not be driving while under the influence of drugs.

The court heard he was under pressure from his boss to keep up his deliveries, despite Singh raising concerns about his fitness to drive.

“You were simply unfit to do the job,” Justice Coghlan said. “In the sense that you drove to keep your job that decision was selfish.”

The manager of the trucking company, Simiona Tuteru, has been charged with four counts of manslaughter and plans to contest the charges.

Justice Coghlan said he had viewed the “chilling” crash footage, which revealed the officers “had no hope”.

“Their deaths are entirely unnecessary, and should have been avoided,” he said. “Their deaths were caused by you,”

Singh did not react when his sentence was read out.

Porsche driver Pusey last month pleaded guilty to outraging public decency and will be sentenced later this month.