A drunk driver has been jailed for hitting and killing four children as they walked to get ice cream in Sydney’s north-west.
Samuel Davidson was drunk and travelling 133km/h in a 50km/h zone when he ploughed into the group of seven children as they were walking and riding bikes on the footpath in Oatlands last year.
Abdallah siblings Antony, Angelina and Sienna, along with their cousin Veronique Sakr, were killed.
Davidson pleaded guilty to four counts of manslaughter and was today sentenced to a minimum of 21 years in jail.
His maximum sentence was set at 28 years, with a parole period of seven years.
The surviving Abdallah children left the court as the Judge detailed the horrific injuries suffered by their siblings.
Veronique ‘s Bridget Sakr broke down as she heard the 11-year-old was projected furthest in the crash.
Davidson apologised to the family in a statement.
“I’m so sorry, I hate what I’ve put you through,” he said.
“You may have lost your freedom, but I’ve lost my flesh and blood,” Ms Sakr said.
Leila Abdallah lost three of her six children and told Davidson: “You’ve killed us all. I’m no longer living. Just existing.”
Ms Sakr said the family’s deep Christian faith helped them forgive Davidson, who she believes “must have had trauma in his life” to get behind the wheel intoxicated.
Danny Abdullah, father of Sienna, Angelina, and Antony, told 2GB’s Ben Fordham he was still in pain, but has let go of his anger.
“I didn’t want my kids … to be angry, to feel that they lost their dad through anger, revenge and bitterness,” he said.
“Forgiveness is for yourself more than the driver.
“I’m still in pain, I still cry, I still miss my children but my soul isn’t imprisoned anymore.”
Mr Abdullah spoke glowingly of his children.
“Anthony’s 13. Very handsome boy,” Mr Abdallah said the day after the crash.
“Loved basketball. He woke up that morning and said, ‘We’re going to play this game for Kobe’.
“Angelina she was my, MLH, my little helper. Anything I needed she had my back.
“Sienna, she was my little diva, little actress.
“They have gone to a better place.”
Veronique’s parent’s said she was a “vibrant 11-year-old”.
“Full of life, love and had a maturity well beyond her young years,” they said in a statement.
“Veronique brought us all such joy and will be forever remembered.”
This content first appear on 9news