The teenager charged over the crash that injured 10 Newcastle Knights supporters at Wallsend has been granted bail, subject to conditions including a night curfew and a ban on driving.
Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe, 18, appeared by video link in Newcastle Local Court on Friday, 9 October, after remaining in custody since his arrest last weekend.
Judge Trevor Khan also ordered him to live with his mother in Randwick and surrender his passport.
Three people injured in the crash remain in hospital in stable conditions.
Mr Samarasinghe faces nine charges: three counts each of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm and causing bodily harm by misconduct while in charge of a motor vehicle.
The court heard allegations that he had been driving erratically before the car struck the crowd.
He had not applied for bail at his first court appearance on Sunday, 4 October, when bail was formally refused. Friday’s decision allows him to leave custody subject to the conditions imposed by the court.
The crash occurred about 9.30am on Saturday, 3 October, at the Transfield Drive roundabout on Newcastle Link Road. Supporters had gathered along the route to farewell the Knights before the team travelled to Sydney for the NRL grand final.
All 10 injured people were treated at the scene before being taken to John Hunter Hospital. They included three children: two five-year-old girls and a two-year-old girl.
One of the five-year-old girls and a 67-year-old man were initially critically injured. Their conditions subsequently improved, with both reported to be serious but stable in the days after the crash.
Police arrested Mr Samarasinghe at the scene and took him to hospital for mandatory testing. He was charged after being released from hospital. His P1 provisional licence was suspended, and police seized the car for forensic examination.
The incident disrupted the Knights’ farewell procession, with the team bus diverted to an alternative route while emergency services responded.
The effects on witnesses and families have also prompted calls for additional mental health support.
Wallsend MP Sonia Hornery has written to the NSW Government seeking a state-led trauma response for Hunter residents affected by the crash. Her request included support for children who witnessed the incident, with concerns extending beyond those physically injured to the wider community.
“You don’t need to have been a witness to have been emotionally affected,” Ms Hornery wrote on social media.
