In January 2019, our client was charged with various offences, including, aggravated dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, contrary to section 52A(4) of the Crimes Act 1900.

The charges arose from a high-speed collision during a race on a suburban street. Our client was the driver of the Toyota Corolla that flipped after racing at more than double the speed limit. As a result of the collision, the passenger spent more than seven weeks in hospital after suffering multiple serious injuries to his head and body.

Hanna Legal engaged in negotiations with the Director of Public Prosecutions on behalf of the driver, resulting in multiple charges being withdrawn as well as the drafting of a more favourable statement of agreed facts.

In preparation for our client’s sentence hearing, we prepared comprehensive subjective material on behalf of our client, including, expert and lay evidence.

In December 2019, we instructed Craig Smith SC (now his Honour Judge Smith SC) at our client’s sentence proceedings at the Sydney District Court, where we were successful in arguing that he should not receive a sentence of full-time custody. Instead, the Court sentenced our client to an Intensive Corrections Order, which allowed him to remain in the community.

For more information, see: Ishayat Hayat sentenced for high-speed Connells Point crash, The Daily Telegraph, 16 December 2019.