Disqualified driver in stolen car jailed for death, injury of motorcyclists

In July, Grant Andrew Crawford pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court of Tasmania to dangerous driving causing the death of Retnakumar Kuppusami and the grievous bodily harm of Suresh Rajakumar. On Tuesday, he was sentenced to nine years in prison and will be eligible for parole after six years. What's next? The sentence was backdated to when Crawford was taken into custody in 2023, meaning he will be eligible for parole in December 2029. A Tasmanian man whose dangerous driving left one man dead and another badly injured has been handed a nine-year prison sentence over offences a judge has described as "morally incomprehensible". Grant Andrew Crawford, 55, was sentenced in the Supreme Court of Tasmania in Hobart on Tuesday afternoon. In 2023, Retnakumar Kuppusami died and Suresh Rajakumar suffered severe injuries when Crawford crashed a stolen car into a tour group of 10 Malaysian motorcyclists on December 15, near Yolla in the state's north-west, before fleeing the scene. Crawford was disqualified from driving at the time, having only been released from prison about six months prior. Justice Tamara Jago described his offending as "morally incomprehensible". "You showed no care for anyone but yourself, interested only in fleeing the scene to avoid detection," Justice Jago said. Crawford pleaded guilty in July to dangerous driving causing the death of Mr Kuppusami and the grievous bodily harm of Mr Rajakumar, among a range of other violence and driving charges. Justice Jago said Mr Kuppusami was a much-loved husband and father. "His family's life is filled with [an] unbearable sense of loss and sadness … the emotional and financial turmoil is significant and likely to be lifelong," she said. Justice Jago said Mr Rajakumar still suffers constant pain and the injuries have impacted his ability to work. "He can't stand for extended periods, can't walk properly … he is constantly anxious, stressed and worried," she said. Significant previous offending, judge says Before the collision took place, Crawford had driven dangerously for about 38 kilometres, including through a worksite wherehe rammed into a car with a driver inside of it and crashed through gates. Near Yolla, after turning onto Murchison Highway, Crawford crashed into the trailer of a car which then became involved in the collision with the cyclists. "The criminal responsibility of that act rests entirely with you … setting off a sequence of events that were beyond [the driver's] control," she said. Justice Jago described Crawford's criminal offending history as "significant", including holding more than 40 driving offence convictions. "This equates [to] you having been disqualified for over 50 per cent of the time you have been eligible to hold a licence," she said. "It was almost inevitable your driving was going to bring about tragic circumstances." Crawford was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment, backdated to when he was remanded in custody on these charges in December 2023. He will be eligible for parole after six years, which is December 2029. Justice Jago ordered that Crawford will not be eligible to hold a driver's licence for six years after he is released from prison.