William Swale, a 66-year-old diabetic driver, is facing accusations of causing a fatal crash in a beer garden that resulted in the deaths of five individuals. During a preliminary hearing at the Ballarat Magistrates’ Court, it was revealed that Swale claims to have no memory of the tragic incident that occurred on November 5th of last year.
Witnesses described seeing Swale appearing ‘wasted’ after he crashed his car into the outdoor dining area of The Royal Daylesford Hotel. Professor John Carter, an expert on diabetes, testified in court that he believes Swale was not aware of his actions at the time of the crash. This testimony was supported by a deli worker who claimed to have seen Swale in a motionless state inside his BMW after the collision.
Prosecutors allege that Swale had disregarded several low blood sugar alerts on his phone before the crash occurred. Despite participating in a shooting event earlier that day, Swale’s barrister argued that the incident was a result of a severe hypoglycaemic episode and that Swale should not be held accountable.
During the court proceedings, it was mentioned that Swale’s blood sugar level was within the normal range but had significantly dropped shortly before the crash. Despite this, Professor Carter expressed doubts about Swale experiencing a severe hypoglycaemic attack at the exact time of the collision.
The crash resulted in the tragic deaths of five individuals, including a Melbourne woman, her daughter, and her husband, as well as a friend and his son. Swale is now facing multiple charges related to the incident.
The hearing, presided over by magistrate Guillaume Bailin, is ongoing as more details surrounding the case continue to emerge. It remains to be seen whether Swale will stand trial before a jury for his role in the fatal beer garden crash.
