In short:
Christopher Bell, 53, has been sentenced to seven years in jail over the manslaughter of co-worker George Tereva in a bobcat accident in 2022.
Bell was under the influence of alcohol when he took control of the vehicle and ran over Mr Tereva.
What’s next?
Bell could be released in four years after serving his non-parole period.
A colleague’s recklessness cost George Tereva his life. The man responsible for his death could be released from prison after serving just four years behind bars.
Christopher Bell had consumed up to five beers when he decided to get into a bobcat on September 7, 2022, after finishing work in Dandenong, in Melbourne’s south-east.
The Supreme Court heard Bell, 53, began hooning around the workyard, driving close to colleagues nearby. One of them was Mr Tereva, a father of three.
Justice Christoper Beale said Bell was captured on security footage driving around the yard in semi-circles before driving deliberately at Mr Tereva.
“You were foolishly and tragically playing chicken with him,” Justice Beale said.
He accidentally drove over Mr Tereva, 34, causing fatal abdominal and pelvic injuries.
Mr Tereva’s father had been on his way to the worksite to pick up his son and arrived before paramedics. Bell told him: “I’m sorry homie. I done it. I panicked. I gotta go.”
Bell fled the worksite but eventually returned, and about three hours after the incident produced a blood alcohol content reading of 0.1.
Justice Beale said Bell lied to police in an interview when he claimed Mr Tereva had encouraged him to drive the bobcat in the lead-up to the tragic accident.
The judge said Bell had a history of methamphetamine use and had been previously sentenced for driving under the influence of substances.
“You were fully aware of the fact that you should not have been driving that bobcat while substance-affected,” Justice Beale said.
Bell, who sat in the court dock and wore dark transition lens glasses, was expressionless and flanked by security guards during the sentencing hearing.
Mr Tereva’s mother Pauline Tereva said her son had a smile “that would light up a room”.
“George loved his kids. They were his world,” she said at an earlier hearing.
“I can’t stop thinking about what happened and how he must have suffered.”
Justice Beale said the maximum penalty for manslaughter was 25 years, but offered a significant discount to Bell because of his early guilty plea, his remorse, his mental health conditions and abuse he suffered as a child.
“I have no doubt about your remorse. You killed a friend,” the judge said.
Bell was sentenced to seven years’ jail with a non-parole period of four years. He has already spent nearly a year behind bars.
Bell was disqualified from driving for five years.
Outside court, Ms Tereva said she hoped the case would highlight the importance of workplace safety.
“It doesn’t matter how long the sentence would have been, anyway. It wouldn’t bring him back,” she said.
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