Porsche driver Richard Pusey granted bail
A Porsche driver accused of filming a dying police officer in the aftermath of the fatal Eastern Freeway crash has been granted bail.
Richard Pusey, 42, applied for bail on Wednesday after a number of serious charges against him - including failing to render assistance at the scene of a crash - were thrown out.
Richard Pusey.Credit:
On Wednesday, Mr Pusey's lawyer Dermot Dann, QC, argued bail should be granted under "very stringent" conditions, telling the court his client had the support of his family and has been seeking mental health treatment.
But police opposed bail, fearing the "manipulative, controlling" man could harass and intimidate witnesses and his "tendency to enjoy driving fast" in flashy cars could put the public at risk.
In granting bail on Friday, Magistrate Donna Bakos said these risks could be mitigated with a strict set of conditions.
She said Mr Pusey has a stable address and the support of his wife and parents. He has been trying to secure a placement in residential treatment clinics, showing that he is "genuinely desirous" to address his mental health issues, she said.
Richard Pusey on the day he was arrested.Credit:Nine News
There will likely be a "very lengthy" delay in the progression of Mr Pusey's case due to the pandemic, and the conditions in prison – including lockdowns and no face-to-face visits – were "onerous" and important to take into account, Ms Bakos said.
"In balancing the risks alleged with all of these matters, I'm of the view the imposition of strict and rigorous bail conditions can mitigate the risks so they are not unacceptable," she said.
"The application for bail is therefore granted."
The mortgage broker had been pulled over on the Eastern Freeway at Kew on April 22 for allegedly speeding, when a truck veered into the emergency lane, killing four Victoria Police officers.
Mr Pusey allegedly did not render assistance to those injured.
Instead, investigators allege Mr Pusey used his phone to film one of the dying police officers, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, and said: "There you go. Amazing, absolutely amazing. All I wanted to do was go home and have my sushi."
He is also alleged to have said: "Now you f---ed my f---ing car."
Mr Pusey is set to face a trial in the County Court on one charge of drug possession, plus reckless conduct endangering serious injury and reckless conduct endangering death, which relate to alleged speeding.
Senior Constable Kevin King, Constable Josh Prestney, Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor and Constable Glen Humphris were killed in the Eastern Freeway collision.
He will also face trial for the rare offence of outraging public decency. Mr Pusey has pleaded not guilty.
Ms Bakos on Wednesday ruled there was not enough evidence to support a conviction in relation to the charges of failing to render assistance after an accident as Mr Pusey was not technically a driver at the time of the crash.
She also threw out the charges of destruction of evidence and two counts of attempting to pervert the course of justice.
Leading Senior Constable Taylor, Senior Constable Kevin King and constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney died in the Eastern Freeway crash.
The truck driver, Mohinder Singh, 47, was initially charged with four counts of culpable driving causing death in the days after the April 22 crash.
He was charged with 33 additional offences in August, including allegedly supplying drugs to a child.
More to come.
Simone is a crime reporter for The Age. Most recently she covered breaking news for The Age, and before that for The Australian in Melbourne.