British backpacker jailed for e-scooter crash killing
A British backpacker who crashed the e-scooter into a father-of-two and killed him while driving drunk following a six-hour drinking session has been jailed for four years.
Alicia Kemp, 25, hit Thanh Phan, 51, while riding a scooter in central Perth after attending a “bottomless brunch” event and several bars in May.
His blood alcohol concentration was 0.185; this was more than three times the legal limit for driving.
Mr Phan, a structural engineer, had been out to dinner with friends and was walking along the footpath when Kemp rear-ended him “at full speed”.
The impact caused him to spin and fall backwards onto the road, hitting his head on the ground with significant force.
He suffered a serious brain injury and died in hospital two days later.
CCTV footage released by the court showed Kemp and a passenger on the scooter dangerously weaving in and out of pedestrians before hitting Mr Phan.
Kemp’s passenger was also seriously injured, suffering fractures to his head and nose, and was taken to hospital for treatment.
The court heard Kemp hit Mr Phan at around 20km/h, twice the legal limit.
After Mr. Phan and the passenger were taken to hospital, Kemp continued drinking at other venues in the city until the early hours of the next morning.
Kemp, who was in Western Australia on a working holiday visa, previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death while under the influence of alcohol.
He was sentenced to four years in prison, eligible for parole, in the WA District Court on Friday and disqualified from holding a driver’s license for two years.
Judge Wendy Hughes said it was important to send a clear message to the community.
“You, Ms. Kemp, are the cautionary tale,” he said.
“E-scooters are not toys.
“If you drive fast while drunk… and there is an accident and someone is killed or seriously injured, it is not classified as an accident.
“You are responsible for that person’s death and that is real for you.
“This was not an accident. You are responsible for the death of a good man, and I accept that you understand that.”
Kemp, a psychology and criminology graduate, spent part of his journey volunteering before heading to Perth.
His sentencing was postponed until June 1 to reflect the time he remains in custody.
The incident thrust e-scooters into the spotlight and triggered a WA parliamentary inquiry into their safety.
