A Victorian police officer whose leg was broken when he was rammed by an unlicensed driver has taken a swipe at the state's justice system, as prosecutors revealed they would not oppose an "onerous" community order for the perpetrator.
The County Court of Victoria today held a pre-sentence hearing for Benjamin Saurini, 22, after a jury found him guilty of negligently causing serious injury over an incident at Sunbury in 2019.
He has also pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis, unlicensed driving and using methylamphetamine.
The officer injured by Saurini wept as he read a victim impact statement today.
The court heard Senior Constable Rohan Brown suffered bruising, cuts and a broken leg after being rammed, with doctors telling his wife that people who suffered the same injuries usually died.
"I could've lost my life," Senior Constable Brown said.
He took aim at the Victorian justice system for what he said was a lack of support for emergency workers.
He added that drugs and alcohol were sometimes used as an explanation for violent behaviour.
"It should not be an excuse for it, or a defence," he said.
Senior Constable Brown wept as he spoke about the effect that his injuries had on his marriage, telling the court that he had to rely on his elderly parents to care for him while he was in and out of hospital.
"The strain on my wife, my boys, my family, my parents … has been huge," he said.
Prosecution supports community corrections order
Saurini was arrested the day after the incident and told investigators that he "didn't mean to do it".
The court heard that when he was informed about Senior Constable Brown's injuries, he asked: "Will he be alright though?"
"I'm sorry for what I've done," he said, during the police interview.
"I didn't mean to hit him.
Prosecutor Daniel Porceddu told the court that a community-based order would be an appropriate sentence for Saurini.
"It has to be very onerous," Mr Porceddu said.
He said there were "matters of aggravation in this case".
"He admits that he had consumed methylamphetamine," he said.
Melinda Walker, who is defending Saurini, told the court that her client had "significant regret".
"He can't turn back time, he can't mend Mr Brown's leg, but what he can do is become a responsible member of the community," she said.
Saurini will be sentenced in July.
