Crime & Law

Irish man charged with dangerous driving over Sydney crash

Terence Wilkinson from Co Donegal was on board flight to Dublin when he was held

An Irish man has been arrested boarding a flight from Australia to Dublin following a serious crash which has left two others with serious injuries. Image: iStock.

Tue Jul 30 2019 - 11:12

An Irish man was charged in Australia with dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm after two men were left seriously injured in a road collision.

The man, 22-year-old Terence Wilkinson from Co Donegal, appeared in court after being arrested while on board a plane at Sydney Airport back to Dublin on Monday.

Wilkinson, who is from Dunfanaghy, was arrested on board the plane by officers from the Metropolitan Crash Investigation Unit and brought to Mascot Police station in Sydney.

Police allege that Wilkinson was the driver of a Mazda 323 that hit a van parked on Burke Street, Chifley, in the suburbs of Sydney at about 2am on Saturday last.

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CCTV footage showed the driver and a back-seat passenger fleeing the scene.

A 25-year-old front passenger and a 27-year-old rear-seat passenger were trapped for more than an hour before being freed by emergency personnel.

The younger man was taken to St George Hospital where he remains in a critical but stable condition.

The older man was taken to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital where he remains in a serious but stable condition.

A search was then begun by police for the driver and the other passenger who fled.

All four men are understood to be Irish and at least three are believed to be from Co Donegal.

Wilkinson was arrested after his plane, which was ready for take-off to Dublin, was requested to return to the boarding gate.

Wilkinson was taken to Prince of Wales Hospital where he was treated and released into the custody of a CIU officer.

He was taken to Mascot police station angdcharged with a range of offences including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing grievous bodily harm, causing bodily harm by misconduct, in charge of motor vehicle (two counts).

He was also charged with failing to stop and assist after an impact caused injury (two counts), negligent driving (occasions grievous bodily harm), and, not give particulars to the owner of damaged property.

He was refused police bail but after appearing in Central Local Court on Tuesday he was granted conditional bail to return to Downing Centre Local Court on August 15th .

Inquiries continue to locate the fourth man.

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