DRUNK driver Samuel Davidson has been sentenced to 28 years jail for a crash that killed four children and injured three others in Oatlands in Sydney’s west in early 2020.
The children, siblings Antony, 13, Angelina, 12, and Sienna Abdallah, 9, and their cousin, Veronique Sakr, 11, died at the scene.
The four were walking to the shops in the early evening to buy ice creams.
Another three children were injured, leaving one of them with a permanent brain injury.
The court heard Mr Davidson had spent more than 12 hours drinking and also had cocaine and other drugs in his system before he climbed in his ute on the day of the crash.
Judge James Bennett called Mr Davidson’s driving was “menacing”.
He said a tragedy was inevitable.
Mr Davidson was seen wiping away tears at times in the courtroom and had the judge read out a letter of apology to the victims’ families.
“I am so sorry for what happened and what I did to your wonderful family,” the apology said.
The Abdallah family, who are Maronite Catholics, received widespread media attention after Leila, the mother of the three children who were killed, launched a forgiveness campaign earlier this year.
“Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give yourself,” she said in February, one year after the crash.
“We chose to turn our tragedy into a greater goodness.
“We chose to carry our cross with dignity.
“We chose forgiveness and love over hatred.”
Mr Davidson pleaded guilty to several charges, including four counts of manslaughter.
He will be eligible for parole in 2041.
