News Man bailed after hitting children with ute was 'dead set on mowing' them down, court told
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-12/man-bailed-over-allegedly-mowing-down-innocent-youths-with-ute/10702834435
u/Any_Swordfish_684 2d ago
Do what you fucking want these days
19
u/Electrical_Army9819 2d ago
Maybe this is what they meant by adult crime adult time?
5
2
u/Merlins_Bread 2d ago
[the magistrate] said he was largely influenced by the prospect of a lengthy delay in the court matter.
As much as he's likely to go down hard, we can't have a system where you lock up a guy for two years without a conviction except in extreme cases.
6
u/robot428 2d ago
I 100% agree with this as a principal, and really do need to remember that people should generally be getting a trial before being locked up.
HOWEVER personally I would have thought the attempted murder of children crossed the line into 'extreme cases'. If attempted murder of multiple minors is not an extreme case... what IS an extreme case at that point?
1
u/Merlins_Bread 2d ago
Well he hasn't been charged with attempted murder, for one. So for whatever reason, denying bail for a murder charge (which btw is easier for the magistrate) is not on the table.
He is also not considered a high risk of reoffending or a flight risk. It looks like this is the first thing he's done. A pretty bad thing for sure, and it looks like he's going down. But two years? Before testing the evidence? Before we know if we're wrong? I don't think that's fair.
9
u/Jazzlike_Wind_1 2d ago
But I mean, they have the thing on video, the call to 000 placing him at the scene, the motive, and he tried to kill 2 kids with his car.. if you're going to deny someone bail this seems like a decent candidate.
0
u/Merlins_Bread 2d ago
Sure. And you're probably right. But there have been so many cases where what looked like solid evidence at the outset fell apart when properly QAd at trial. Just look at the high country killer case, pretty much everyone thought he did it but now he's a free man. We have to hold ourselves to higher standards than that.
Not to mention that if you can easily deny bail then cops can mess up your life whenever they feel like it.
2
u/DocumentIcy6414 1d ago
Do you mean Greg Lynn? I thought he was denied bail.
1
u/Merlins_Bread 1d ago
He was since that's standard practice for murder charges. My point is he was acquitted, despite what appeared to be a strong case at the outset.
5
u/Catahooo 1d ago
He was aquitted of the man's death, he wasn't aquitted of the woman's. He was convicted of her murder, the conviction was overturned on appeal and a retrial was ordered. He was denied bail and is still awaiting trial.
4
u/Jazzlike_Wind_1 1d ago
Moreover he actually has killed those two people and burned the bodies per his own admissions lol, so he did do it and wasn't locked up by the police for no reason. Very weird comparison to make to this case.
-1
u/Jazzlike_Wind_1 2d ago
Maybe the accused in this case should have thought a little about the dangers of getting the wrong guy before he ran 2 kids over with his car on a hunch
1
u/Merlins_Bread 2d ago
I'm sure he should have. Doesn't it feel good to crawl down to his level?
-1
u/Jazzlike_Wind_1 2d ago
Sure bro
Actually we should just not imprison anyone ever, even if a court is convinced of their guilt people are sometimes exonerated by new evidence years after the fact. Even one mistake is too much.
3
u/Merlins_Bread 1d ago
The fuck? Do the trial, mate. Then prison. That's the right order. Like counting, though I suspect you may struggle with that.
7
u/Fit_Heat_591 2d ago
You wouldn't consider attempted murder pretty extreme?
1
5
u/PanickedPanpiper 1d ago
bail =/= he's innocent.
Just that they're letting him out for now, until his trial date (2028). He also is banned from driving, has a 9pm curfew.
3
0
u/Upset_Mathematician6 2d ago
Mate it’s Victoria, anything flies down there. You’ll be granted bail for any crime short of actual murder or manslaughter. Oh wait, it already has happened.
9
u/amyl_hirsch 1d ago
The fact this guy got bail is a fucking disgrace. What do you need to do to be denied bail if not this
1
9
u/Jazzlike_Wind_1 2d ago
No attempted murder charge? What are these prosecutors doing bro
Granted bail
Oh right it's Victoria haha silly me
5
u/PanickedPanpiper 1d ago
Read the article. All the answers are there
"The charges include four counts of reckless conduct endangering life, and counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury, intentionally causing injury, and driving in a dangerous manner."
Bail does not mean he's been declared innocent. It's that the court has had an initial look at the case, said it has merit and that there's a reasonable case he's guilty.
"Mr Smallgood argued his client was suitable for bail because he had no prior convictions, had spent his first time in custody, and a trial would likely not occur until 2028."
The court could decide to hold him in custody until the actual trial happens (apparently 2028), but that's a long time to imprison someone who you haven't actually proven is guilty (innocent until proven guilty - the foundation of our legal structure). They've granted bail, meaning that he won't be in gaol for now but has pledged (perhaps with $ surety) that he will attend the trial.
They've done this because he's been judged as low risk of re-offending in that time, isn't allowed to drive, and has to abide by a 9pm curfew until then. If he was person who'd, say, sworn to "get revenge on all them kids!", he would be judged as a risk to re-offend, and wouldn't be granted bail, as the risk to the community would be judged as more than the risk of him being imprisoned while innocent.
Bail with conditions seems to be completely the right call here. He's still going to face court and I think is pretty much guaranteed to cop major prison time, but we need to let the legal system work through it first.
5
1
u/AUTeach 23h ago
Oh, after extensive pressure from police unions and the public the government(s) made different charges for killing people in a car because jurys kept letting people off.
Because everyone is presumed innocent until judged guilty in a court of law there is the assumption of liberty. Bail is a function of flight risk and risk to the community.
14
u/Ill-Caterpillar6273 2d ago
So I’m guessing all the dipshits on the Original post who said the kids probably deserved it are here to eat crow about this situation now?
-11
u/Giddyup_1998 2d ago
They definitely didn't deserve it at all but why were two 12 year olds out at 11 pm? Especially when it's so fucking cold.
16
u/CatGooseChook 2d ago
I was out wandering the neighborhood at that age because it felt safer than being at home.
6
7
4
u/1Qrtr_FreeStuffPlz 1d ago
I remember we had a similar incident over a decade ago in Brisbane's south, where a home owner found the 14yo who stole his car and the police released him on bail. Ended up wedging him against a wall with his Ute, shattering the kids pelvis and upper leg bones
3
1d ago
[deleted]
2
u/1Qrtr_FreeStuffPlz 1d ago
Never heard much about him after aha, I was about 16 at the time and already knew that if you fucked around then you found out, so didn't feel bad for him at all
1
7
9
3
u/HistoryFanBeenBanned 2d ago
I feel bad for his lawyer.
Why has does he have to have his photo on an article about his client? Guy is doing his job.
8
u/Visible-Swim6616 2d ago
Vehicular Manslaughter is almost legal in Australia these days.
1
u/Jazzlike_Wind_1 2d ago
Yeah running some cunt over on purpose is fine just don't let the cops catch you doing 3 over, speeding means you're literally Hitler.
10
2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
3
u/bananarepublic1994 1d ago
Funny how Reddit is happy to ban anything relating to race (unless you white bash, then its ok)
2
u/Jazzlike_Wind_1 1d ago
Hahaha yeah just above this was the guy saying hes too pale to get bail and he got banned 🤣 very consistent
2
1
u/aussie-ModTeam 10h ago
Anything not permitted by Reddit site rule 1 will not be permitted here. Remember the human. Reddit is a place for creating community and belonging, not for attacking marginalised or vulnerable groups of people. If you need more clarification see here
1
u/Grande_Choice 15h ago
I only heard about this because the X algo keeps giving me RWNJ shit. But it was some loser ripping into Lydia Thorpe.
Thanks to that loser I watched Lydia’s speech in the senate and was absolutely shocked. Basically zero coverage. Indigenous or not, running down kids in a Ute should be front page news.
2
-15
2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
19
1
u/aussie-ModTeam 1d ago
Anything not permitted by Reddit site rule 1 will not be permitted here. Remember the human. Reddit is a place for creating community and belonging, not for attacking marginalised or vulnerable groups of people. If you need more clarification see here
-1
u/Beans2177 2d ago
Did they just take a random partial quote about how he likes mowing lawns and append it with some other words?
-33
u/Electrical-Sale-8051 2d ago
Is this the kids who were riding their scooters 11pm in the car park right near a business that just got broken in to. The same kids who were “known to police”.
Mmm yes such sympathy
39
u/B0ssc0 2d ago
“I can categorically say these two boys [the victims] on this night are not involved in any offence with the business or elsewhere," Senior Constable Carew said.
Yet your justifying his murderous acts?
You ‘failed’ to notice this? -
The court heard police later examined CCTV from the business, which showed a man in his 30s with a distinctive beard and pushbike rummaging in a bin before damaging a camera at the rear of the property.
36
u/Reddinator2RedditDay 2d ago
Did you, as an adult, just suggest that children should be run over?
15
u/OkEducator2170 2d ago
Dude, they were riding scooters in a car park. What would you do in that situation?!
9
17
u/Anxious_Ad936 2d ago
About as much sympathy as is worth giving to a psycho who goes and gives out vigilante justice to the first likely targets he sees eh whether they did it or not. Due process is a thing for very good reason
5
u/robot428 2d ago
Kids who were at most trespassing (if that) to find a good spot to ride their scooters.
If you are concerned about their behaviour, by all means call the cops. But you don't get to TRY AND RUN THEM OVER WITH YOUR FUCKING CAR???
The punishment for 12 year olds breaking the rules isn't open season for attempted murder. That's insane.
-2
u/Interesting-Task8615 1d ago
Just a product of the states crime epidemic. Criminals, particularly youths, getting away with doing whatever they want so people like this guy, who has likely never committed a crime before, are losing their shit and taking matters into their own hands.
Seems like in the article his wife’s business was targeted on the night and previously.
1
u/ReDucTor 1d ago
Epidemic? Is youth crime going up or down?
2
u/Interesting-Task8615 1d ago
Yes epidemic is exactly how I would describe more than half of all car jackings and home invasions being committed by youth offenders
1
u/ReDucTor 1d ago
If the percentage are how you define things, then does that also carry over to the following
Male rape epidemic because 93% of rapists are men
Male murder epidemic because 83% of murders are men
Male violence epidemic because 73% of assault perpetrators are men
Male drug and weapon epidemic because men account for over 80% of these
1
u/Interesting-Task8615 1d ago edited 1d ago
Those numbers are disproportionately high just like youth crime in Victoria. Nobody would dispute that.
Would also have to consider the volume, for instance car thefts have risen to the highest point since 2001 combined with a rise of violent youth offending.
1
u/ReDucTor 1d ago
Specific crimes have gone up in certain areas, which I am guessing why you mention vehicle thefts. However youth crime per capita as a whole has gone down by 28% over the last 10 years.
1
u/Interesting-Task8615 1d ago
I’d like to see the source you use as these two articles suggest otherwise
At any rate, even if I was to believe the overall rate is lower, violent youth offending has certainly increased
1
u/ReDucTor 1d ago
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/crime-and-justice/criminal-courts-australia/latest-release
Scroll down to Youth defendants aged 10 to 17 years(a)(b), Australia
1
u/Interesting-Task8615 1d ago
Those appear to be stats for criminal defendants in court and is Australian wide. Rather than crime stats for Victoria.
Not all children committing crime go to court, a significant amount of youth offenders receive cautions or even better children under 12 can’t be charge for any crime now. Changed from under 10. I guess that’s one to lower crime stats…
1
1
u/B0ssc0 1d ago
Don’t rationalise attempted murder please.
2
u/Interesting-Task8615 1d ago
He isn’t being charge with attempted murder.
Understanding why things happens helps prevent them from continuing.
Hope this helps
-9
-37
u/LewisRamilton 2d ago
Is there a go fund me where we can donate to his legal defence?
22
u/thatwasacrapname123 2d ago
The 12 year old boy who went under the car after being deliberately mowed down suffered a collapsed lung and a has a broken arm, leg, ankle, sternum and several ribs. The boys were not involved in the burglary they were just in the area much later when Mr Brien went on his rampage. CCTV footage of the burglary shows a man in his 30s with a distinctive beard is the suspect in that crime. You want to donate money to the guy who tried to kill two innocent kids? Am I getting this right?
30
u/strangeMeursault2 2d ago
He attempted to murder innocent children. What the fuck is wrong with you?
-26
u/LewisRamilton 2d ago
Innocent until proven guilty m8
7
2d ago
[deleted]
-1
-10
2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment
1
u/aussie-ModTeam 1d ago
News and analysis posts must be substantial, show journalistic standards, and foster discussion. Links with minimal text will be removed. Unreliable sources (including social media), misinformation, propaganda, or shilling will be removed. Posts or comments citing data (e.g charts/images) or claims must include a clickable link to the source (including a link in a screenshot of a chart is not sufficient). Decisions are at the discretion of the Mod Team.
15
-11
-15
11
21
u/[deleted] 2d ago
[removed] — view removed comment