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Brett Button, who crashed a wedding bus in the Hunter killing 10
people, pleads guilty to multiple charges
(HTM) Source
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* **In short:** Brett Button enters guilty pleas to 35 charges relat
* His bail was revoked and he was taken into custody.
* **What's next?** The case will be mentioned in the District Court
A bus driver charged over a fatal crash in the New South Wales Hunter
Valley has pleaded guilty to multiple offences, while charges of
manslaughter have been withdrawn.
Brett Andrew Button, 59, was charged with a total of 89 offences over
the crash at Greta in June 2023 which killed 10 people and injured 25
others who were returning home from a wedding.
In Newcastle local court today, Button pleaded guilty to 10 counts of
dangerous driving occasioning death and nine counts of dangerous
driving occasioning grievous bodily harm.
He also pleaded guilty to 16 related offences of driving furiously and
causing bodily harm to survivors.
The court heard 10 charges of manslaughter were withdrawn and
dismissed.
A further 25 charges of bodily harm by misconduct were also dropped.
Survivor Graham McBride (left) and Matt Mullen, father of victim
Rebecca Mullen, leave Newcastle Local Court.(ABC Newcastle: Bridget
Murphy)
The crash happened on June 11, last year when the coach, carrying 35
passengers from a nearby wedding, overturned on a roundabout near the
township of Greta.
Mr Button allegedly lost control of the bus, which was taking guests
from the Wandin Valley Estate to Singleton.
The bus rolled and skidded along a guard rail.
## Families emotional in court
Family members of the victims packed the courtroom to watch as Button
responded to every charge as they were read out by magistrate Caleb
Franklin.
Button sobbed and clasped his hands together while in a soft voice
entered the guilty pleas.
Family members were heard sobbing in the court as the victims' names
were read out with the charges, including when the manslaughter
charges were withdrawn.
Button's bail was revoked, and following the proceedings he spent some
final moments with family before he was taken into custody.
The matter has been adjourned to the District Court until May 30, when
a sentence date will be set.
Darcy Bulman and her partner Nick Dinakis, pictured hours before the
crash.(Supplied: Nick Dinakis)
The victims' families were visibly emotional when they left the court
and chose not to speak to waiting media.
Nick Dinakis, who suffered serious injuries in the crash, issued a
statement after today's court proceedings welcoming the progress in
the case.
His partner, Darcy Bulman, was one of the 10 people who died.
"I am extremely pleased with the result of the guilty plea from the
bus driver," Mr Dinakis's statement said.
"I understand this isn't a situation that can appease everyone, but it
allows myself and the other victims to try and move forward with
life."
He also thanked the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Attorney-General Michael Daley says he will be asking the DPP for a
comprehensive briefing when the matter is concluded.(ABC News)
## Attorney-General to seek briefing
In NSW parliament today Upper Hunter Nationals MP Dave Layzell asked
Attorney-General Michael Daley if he was satisfied with the decision
to dismiss the manslaughter charges.
Mr Daley told parliament he would be seeking a briefing from the DPP.
"Nobody in this place wants to see family members and victims
displeased with — or re-traumatised by — the criminal justice system,"
he said.
"I will be asking the DPP for a comprehensive briefing on all aspects
of this matter when it is finally concluded," he said.
Mr Daley said he knew there was an "appetite" for him to say more, but
stressed the DPP was independent.
"It can scarcely have been a more important prosecution, free from
interference from the executive or the legislature," he said.
"There are live proceedings before the court … and I don't want to see
those proceedings being compromised by anything, that anyone in this
place — particularly me — might say."
In a statement, the Office of the DPP said it sympathised "deeply with
the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic event, and
with the victims who were injured".
"The decision to accept a plea of guilty involves complex issues of
fact and law," the statement said.
"These decisions are always made after close and careful consideration
of the evidence and in accordance with the prosecution guidelines."
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