Brit Backpacker jailed after killing man in e-scooter crash | World | News
A British backpacker has been jailed for four years for shooting and killing a man while riding an e-scooter. Alicia Kemp, 25, was sentenced to prison for dangerous driving causing death while under the influence of alcohol.
Kemp was over the legal limit in Australia when he shot father-of-two Thanh Phan in Perth on May 31. The working holiday visa holder was sentenced in the Perth District Court in Western Australia on Friday, December 12.
The court previously heard the woman had been drinking with her friend before hitting the man on Saturday afternoon. The two were kicked out of the bar for being drunk.
The couple then rented an e-scooter for the evening; Kemp was traveling at speeds of 12 to 15 mph when he rear-ended the 51-year-old on a sidewalk in Perth city centre. BBC. The father died of a cerebral hemorrhage two days after the collision.
Kemp’s friend and passenger were also injured. His skull was fractured and his nose broken, and Kemp himself was treated for minor injuries.
The court had previously heard Kemp’s blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit in Australia and CCTV showed him driving “inexplicably dangerous” before hitting Mr Phan, who was waiting to cross the road.
In a statement following the incident earlier this year, Mr Phan’s family described the civil engineer as a beloved husband, father, brother and dear friend. His sentence was backdated to June 2025 for time served along with a two-year non-parole period. His driver’s license was also confiscated for two years.
Kemp, who pleaded guilty to the charge in August, could be released in mid-2027.
The incident brought e-scooter safety into the national spotlight in Australia, and Perth, as well as many other nearby councils, suspended rental services. The country now has a strict law on using e-scooters; Drivers must wear helmets, be sober, not carry passengers and be over 16 years of age.
The maximum penalty for dangerous driving causing death is 20 years in prison.
