Source : Perth Now news
A family has poured out its pain in court while awaiting the sentence of a man who ploughed his minivan into a father and his nine-year-old son.
Aiden Guimaraes was riding pillion on an e-bike driven by his father David in a designated lane in Robina, on the Gold Coast, when they were struck by the speeding van.
The heavily intoxicated Keith Andrew Chambers was behind the wheel at the time of the October 2024 crash.
Aiden’s mother Andrea had to make the decision to turn off the boy’s life support later that day while Mr Guimaraes, who was critically injured, remained unconscious.
A large crowd of family and supporters gathered in Brisbane Supreme Court for Chambers’ sentencing for the nine-year-old’s manslaughter, as well as dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm to Aiden’s father.
The group was so sizeable a second courtroom had to be used to contain the overflow.
The court on Tuesday heard Chambers was at least three times over the legal blood alcohol limit, with a reading between 0.176-0.193 taken one hour and 40 minutes after the accident.
He was also driving at between 113km/h and 134km/h at the time of impact – as much as 64km/h over the speed limit.
The battery for the e-bike was found 62m from the crash site due to the force of the collision.
Ms Guimaraes and the couple’s older son were riding behind on a second e-bike and witnessed the accident that killed the nine-year-old.
His mother wept as she read a harrowing victim impact statement to the court, saying Chambers’ name was now etched into her brain “like cancer”.
“A parent should never have to bury their child,” Ms Guimaraes said.
“Look around – the people here today represent some of the many lives affected by what Keith Andrew Chambers did.
“Family, friends and children are all carrying the consequences of his actions.
“Keith Andrew Chambers has devastated my family and taken from us a future that will never be restored.”
Chambers, who has a criminal history in NSW and an extensive record of driving offences in Queensland, struggled to control his emotions as he pleaded guilty to the charges.
In his statement to the court, Mr Guimaraes, who also has multiple sclerosis, said he lived with constant pain from his injuries, but he would gladly continue to suffer them if he could have his son back.
Prosecutor Nathan Crane said Chambers’ level of intoxication, recklessness and traffic history put his offending in the worst category, consistent with a maximum penalty of 14 years’ jail.
He said Aiden’s killing and the serious injuries inflicted on his father were inevitable consequences of the driver’s actions.
In November, the RACQ and Queensland University of Technology announced the Guimaraes Memorial Scholarship, valued at $10,000 annually.
The scholarship will fund research to make roads safer for children and promote active transport.
The sentencing continues.
