members of the Australian public were asked if sentences were too lenient. The same question was asked of jurors from the actual court case. The results were that the public was far more likely to have the opinion that a sentence was too lenient where as the jury was more likely to believe it was appropriate. Normally considering this helps me take a step back from being outraged; Those who are closer to the case have considerations that aren’t making the paper.
I agree and havw read the same, I rarely comment or post about such things for that reason. This wasn’t a jury case though, he plead guilty
This case has to be an exception though.
Indeed and why I posted about it. Shocking as it would have been If the.dude had hit them and killed him but if he’d stooped amd rendered assistance but this … this is next level
In the hours after the crash, Danby sent a series of text messages to his friends in which he called the victims “dogs”, “n*****s” and “oxygen thieves” and boasted about the collision.
“Nah c***, I’m on a come down for work, I ain’t stoppin’ for no one,” he wrote in one message.
"It was pretty funny watching them roll around on the road after going over my bonnet and through my windscreen
This update has some reasons given as well as the family being upset by it all
www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-18/…/105787700
The family of an Aboriginal man run down and killed by a hit-and-run driver in Darwin last year have voiced their “disgust and dismay” at the lack of a prison sentence for the offender
From the judge
In sentencing Danby, NT Supreme Court Justice Sonia Brownhill described the texts as “shockingly callous”.
She accepted Danby had shown remorse since the incident and had good prospects for rehabilitation due to his young age, lack of criminal history, and strong employment record.
NAAJA chair Theresa Roe said in a statement the messages were “racist and dehumanising”.
There is little to suggest the offender’s racist attitudes have been reformed, despite the immense harm for Aboriginal communities across the NT caused by such attitudes."
I can only agree mith Ms. Roe.
johnwicksdog@aussie.zone 1 day ago
I suspect the reason a jury was chosen for the study was simply to find a cohort that was lay to the legal professions but still intimidate to a particular case. The lack of a jury doesn’t mean this still isn’t relevant, since it relates to the perception of fair sentencing among the public.