Brett Button, the driver of the bus which crashed causing the deaths of 10 passengers, is being sentenced this week.
Share and Follow

A wedding bus driver impaired by an opioid during a horror crash that killed 10 people has appealed against his 32-year jail sentence.

Brett Andrew Button, 60, had been driving too fast and engaged in risk-taking behaviour before the deadly crash, which also injured 25 people, in the NSW Hunter Valley region in June 2023.

He was sentenced in September to a maximum jail term of 32 years with a non-parole period of 24 years.

Brett Button, the driver of the bus which crashed causing the deaths of 10 passengers, is being sentenced this week.
Brett Andrew Button, 60, had been driving too fast and engaged in risk-taking behaviour before the deadly crash, which also injured 25 people, in the NSW Hunter Valley region in June 2023. (Nick Moir)

At the time, NSW District Court Judge Roy Ellis said he was unaware of any other case that had such a devastating impact on so many people.

Button has filed a challenge to his sentence which was briefly heard in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal on Thursday.

A hearing has been scheduled for October 3.

Prosecutors expect voluminous evidence to be tendered, including victim impact statements from the families of those who died or were injured in the crash.

The court will consider a psychological report for Button and several references attesting to his good character.

More than four months on and the pain is still raw for so many affected by the Hunter Valley bus crash which claimed 10 lives and injured many more. The state government hosted a public memorial service at Singleton Showground today for the community touched by the tragedy.
A class action has been filed by those injured and family members of the deceased against the NSW government alleging failings in the design of the roundabout. (Supplied)

The bus driver will not be appealing against his conviction.

He pleaded guilty in the District Court to 10 charges of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of causing bodily harm by wanton driving.

Button was told in 2022 that he was dependent on the opioid Tramadol.

He admitted taking more than the prescribed amount prior to the crash.

The vehicle entered a roundabout on Wine Country Drive on the way to Singleton after a wine estate wedding at an estimated 52km/h.

Hunter Valley bus crash
The vehicle entered a roundabout on Wine Country Drive on the way to Singleton after a wine estate wedding at an estimated 52km/h. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)

It then accelerated to about 56km/h when on the roundabout, the District Court was earlier told.

The speed required to tip the bus over was only 31km/h.

A class action has been filed by those injured and family members of the deceased against the NSW government alleging failings in the design of the roundabout.

The speed limit through the interchange was also allegedly too high.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

Bob Katter’s Surprising Acknowledgment: Embracing Middle Eastern Heritage Post-Controversy

Key Points Bob Katter has said that, to prevent terror attacks, migrants…

Trump’s $1.5 Billion Board of Peace: A Game-Changer or a Cause for Concern?

A Donald Trump-led organisation that seeks to facilitate peace in the Middle…

Macron Sounds Alarm: Trump’s Leak of European Texts Could Usher in ‘Lawless Era

French President Emmanuel Macron says Europe will not give in to bullies…
Donald Trump has raged at Norway's prime minister after he didn't win the Nobel Prize.

Trump Leaves Door Open for Potential Military Action in Greenland Following Tense Exchange with Norway’s Prime Minister

The atmosphere was tense as he offered a succinct response: “No comment,”…

New Gun Legislation Approved: Prime Minister Assures Farmers Unaffected by Reforms

Australia has tightened its gun laws in response to the Bondi terror…
The 18-year-old woman was returning from a night out with friends when she was allegedly confronted by a man outside a house on Miller Grove in Kew.

Chilling Ambush: Attacker Lurks in Driveway Before Brutally Stabbing 18-Year-Old Woman

A troubling incident unfolded in Melbourne when a young woman was allegedly…
12-year-old Nico Antic was attacked by a shark in Vaucluse on Sunday.

Concerns Mount for Young Boy Seriously Injured in Shark Attack

There are fears for the life of a young boy mauled by…
The officer found more than a dozen empty cans of beer under the driver's seat of the red Suzuki.

Dozen Empty Beer Cans Found in Car of Alleged Drunk Driver: A Sobering Reminder of DUI Dangers

A Queensland man has had his driving licence suspended following allegations that…