Emily Woods, AAP
Alisha Fagan says she has changed her ways since killing a beloved grandfather in a crash while drunk and then blaming four African men.
The 21-year-old Melbourne woman read out a letter of apology to Sedat Hassan’s family, as she faced the County Koori Court for a pre-sentence hearing on Monday.
Fagan was on a suspended learners permit, drunk and travelling more than 25km/h over the speed limit when she drove into the side of the 69-year-old man’s car, killing him, on June 9 2022.
In the hours before, the court heard Fagan had been drinking wine from the bottle with a friend near the Maribyrnong River.
The pair then drove 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 and then gave police a fake name, said she was not driving at the time of the crash and tried to pin 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, who has pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and drug possession, was on four sets of bail at the time of crash and was facing about a dozen driving offences.
She was last year released on bail to undergo rehabilitation.
Fagan cried as Mr Hassan’s family remembered him as beloved father and grandfather who spent much of his time caring for his disabled son, in statements read to 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 said his father 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 causing 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 was adjourned to May 9.
