Woman who killed grandfather apologises
Alisha Fagan claims she has changed her ways since killing a beloved grandfather in a crash while drunk and initially blaming four African men.
The 21-year-old woman from Melbourne read out a letter of apology to Sedat Hassan’s family as she faced the Country Koori Court for a pre-sentence hearing on Monday.
Fagan was on a suspended learners permit, drunk and driving more than 25km/h over the speed limit when she hit the 69-year-old man’s car, resulting in his death on June 9 2022.
Hours before the incident, the court heard Fagan had been drinking wine from the bottle with a friend near the Maribyrnong River.
The two friends then travelled to Sunshine West and picked up two men. Fagan’s passengers fled when she failed to give way and crashed into Mr Hassan’s car.
She waited for emergency services to arrive, gave the police officers a fake name and said she was not driving at the time, instead pinning the blame on four African men.
“She went on to tell the police four African males were in the car at the time and had fled the scene after the collision," prosecutor Kristie Churchill told the court.
"She stated that she had only just met these males.”
Fagan has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and drug possession; she was on four sets of bail at the time of the incident and was facing about a dozen driving offences.
She was released on bail to undergo rehabilitation.
Fagan shed tears as Mr Hassan’s family remembered him as a beloved father and grandfather who spent a great deal of his time caring for his disabled son, in statements read to the court.
"My husband was my world, I can't bring him back," his wife said.
"My son, who has autism, gets up in the middle of the night and opens all the windows looking for his father.”
One of Mr Hassan’s sons shared his father had waited for years to become a grandfather.
"As soon as he became one, he only got to hold his grandson three times and be with him until he was four months old," he said.
Fagan read a letter of apology to Mr Hassan’s family, saying she took full responsibility for his death.
"I only have myself to blame. At the time of this tragedy I was a severe alcoholic, had no impulse control, had no understanding of consequences," she told the court.
"I've spent the last nine months improving myself every single day so that this will never, ever happen again.
"Please know that who I was then and who I am now are not the same person."
The hearing has been adjourned to May 9.
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