Brendan Faithfull avoids jail sentence over Hawkesbury River boat crash that killed his girlfriend

A man who killed his girlfriend in a speedboat crash on the Hawkesbury River has escaped a jail sentence because of the incredible forgiveness shown by the victim's family. Brendan Faithfull got behind the controls following an afternoon of drinking, taking his clothes off and speeding, before losing control of the vessel.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:05):
A man who killed his girlfriend in a speedboat crash
on the Hawksbury River has escaped a jail sentence because
of the incredible forgiveness shown by the victim's family.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Brendan Faithful got behind the controls following an afternoon of drinking,
taking his clothes off and speeding before losing control of
the vessel.

Speaker 3 (00:26):
Brendan Faithful was drunk, naked and driving erratically when he
crashed his boat on the Hawksbury River last year, slamming
into the river bank at Wilberforce on dusk, the impact
killing his girlfriend, Samantha Jones. Brendan, how are you feeling?

Speaker 1 (00:41):
You?

Speaker 3 (00:41):
Had a sentencing today. Witnesses reported seeing Faithful's vessel traveling
at speed, close to the river bank and at times
with no one at the wheel. He was clearly showing off,
undoubtedly intoxicated. The judge found the pair never made it home,
slamming into the shore, Miss Jones dying from blue force
trauma to the head. Is there anything you want to

(01:02):
say to the victim's family? Faithful was charged months later
and was facing ten years behind bars, but today he
avoided jail, instead sentenced to a one year and ten
month intensive corrections order a prison term that served in
the community, ordered to complete four hundred and twenty hours
community service, and disqualified from holding a boat license for

(01:26):
five years. Brandon Faithful was entitled to a twenty five
percent discount on sentence due to a plea of guilty,
but the judge also said there was an element of
mercy involved in the sentence, given he had accepted responsibility
for his actions and shown genuine remorse. Miss Jones family
saying they forgive the man who killed their daughter, only

(01:48):
asking that others learn a lesson from their devastating reality.
Taylor Aken seven News