The mother of a teenager who was killed in a high-speed crash on Christmas Eve has expressed her grief as the P-plater responsible for her son’s death awaits sentencing.Nicholas Hoenselaars, 18, was a passenger in a Mitsubishi Lancer driven by Savyo Khamou, also 18 at the time, when the vehicle crashed into a power pole in Leppington in December 2020 after being pursued by police. The impact was so severe that the car split in two.
Unfortunately, Hoenselaars died at the scene, while Khamou was taken to the hospital under police custody. Khamou has pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attended a hearing at the Parramatta District Court on Wednesday. During the hearing, Hoenselaars’ mother presented a victim impact statement, describing her son as her best friend.
According to her statement, Hoenselaars was a beloved boy who brightened everyone’s life. He was heavily involved in soccer, playing, refereeing, and coaching local teams. He had finished high school and had plans to attend university and travel abroad. His mother expressed the pain of having to identify his body, choose his coffin, and select a song for his funeral. She hopes that the sentencing will bring justice for her son.
Local soccer clubs that Hoenselaars was involved with remember him as a caring and compassionate young man. Khamou, on the other hand, testified in court that he had suicidal thoughts following his arrest after the crash. He had been released on bail in January 2021 after spending three weeks in custody. Khamou had been caught speeding two months before the crash and was on his provisional license. He evaded police that night because he feared losing his license and was recorded driving at 157 km/h before the crash.
Judge Stephen Hanley has formally convicted Khamou of manslaughter and revoked his bail, ordering him into custody. He will be sentenced next week.