A drunk driver “weaponised” his vehicle when he reversed into a group of innocent people, pinning them against the wall of a popular coastal pub, a judge has ruled.
Eric Danielle Tama Wharerua Cooper, 39, faced the District Court for sentencing on Monday after pleading guilty to one count of aggravated cause serious harm by dangerous driving and eight counts of aggravated cause harm.
Judge Heath Barklay said Cooper, a father of four, drove off after the crash outside the Royal Family Hotel in Port Elliot on October 5, 2024, leaving behind “carnage”.
“You put your car in reverse and, at speed, reversed into the group of people,” Judge Barklay said. “You turned the wheel so it mounted the kerb.
“People went flying. You pinned (one victim) to the wall, causing him terrible injuries.
“You made a conscious decision to drive dangerously. You deliberately reversed your car into a group of people in the hope you would collect one or more of them that you had been fighting with.
“You say now that you are sorry you hit ‘innocent’ bystanders, but at the time you could not have cared less.”
Last week, during sentencing submissions, prosecutor Lucy Hurley told the court Cooper was seen “laughing” throughout his arrest.
Cooper, who has previous NSW drunk driving convictions, had a blood concentration of 0.12 at the time of the crash.
Minutes before his offending, witnesses at the Royal Family Hotel saw him doing “burnouts” and driving erratically nearby, Ms Hurley said.
During sentencing, Judge Barklay said Cooper “took exception” to being asked to slow down by people at the pub.
The court heard he pulled over, took his shirt off and punched a male pubgoer in the face.
Judge Barklay said Cooper was then set upon by the group and returned to his car “intending to drive” at the people he had been fighting with.
“Yours was egregious driving,” he said. “This case involves calculated, intentional dangerous driving.
“In this case, you decided to drive in a manner that was likely, if not inevitable, to cause an unacceptable risk to other people on the road. That was, of course, the whole idea.”
In his letter of apology, Cooper told the court he was “deeply ashamed” for his actions and
On Monday, Judge Barklay jailed Cooper – who he noted had problems with aggression and “impulse control” – for six years with a non-parole period of three years and ten months.
Cooper was also disqualified from driving for 12 year upon release from jail.