- UPDATED COURT REPORT: Guilty: Greta bus crash driver behind bars, manslaughter charges dropped
THE DRIVER at the centre of the Greta bus tragedy will have his case mentioned in Newcastle court today.
Brett Andrew Button, 59, has been inching closer to entering pleas to 89 charges - including 10 counts of manslaughter - stemming from the crash on the night of June 11 last year.
Button was behind the wheel of a bus travelling from a Hunter Valley wedding to the newlywed couple's hometown of Singleton when it rolled on Wine Country Drive, killing 10 people and injuring 25 others.
Family members of victims were in court last month expecting to see Button plead either guilty or not guilty to the charges against him.
His lawyers asked for an adjournment at that time for an expert report to be prepared, and indicated they were "hopeful" it would be ready by the next mention on May 8.
The court also heard on April 3 that the Crown and defence were continuing negotiations.
When Button does enter pleas, he will be committed to the district court for either trial or sentencing.
Button has been on bail since he was released by a magistrate at Cessnock Local Court the day after the crash.
He has faced Newcastle Local Court in person on the last two occasions.
Defence solicitor Chris O'Brien read a statement on behalf of Button outside the courthouse earlier this year as Button stood behind him, visibly emotional.
"There's not a day that goes by that I don't think about what happened that day, that night," he said.
"I am devastated by what has occurred, and for that I am truly and deeply sorry."
The Greta bus crash was Australia's worst road disaster in decades and sent shockwaves across tight-knit Hunter communities and the nation.
