William Ngati, who killed toddler Skye Sassine during a police chase, will be out on the streets within the next five weeks after being granted parole despite the desperate pleas of the victim’s mother.
The 19-month-old died when Ngati, who had led police on 21km chase after he committed a string of robberies, crashed into her family’s sedan on Sydney’s M5 freeway on New Year’s Eve 2009.
Skye’s mother, Aimee Sassine, had begged authorities to keep Ngati behind bars for another five years.
“I am here today pleading with you. I beg of you, keep him away from me and our family. He has ruined our lives with his actions,” she said.
William Ngati, who killed toddler Skye Sassine after driving recklessly to escape police, will be allowed out of jail on parole
Skye died when her family car was hit by Ngati who was fleeing police after committing a string of armed robberies
Under the conditions of his parole Ngati has been banned from entering the Campbelltown LGA
He will be heavily supervised to ensure he complies with other conditions of his order, which include he not use a prohibited drug or substance, except those prescribed for him and he must comply with all directions of the mental health team.
Other directions also state that he cannot ‘contact, communicate with, watch, stalk, harass or intimidate the victim’s family’ or ‘contact, communicate, or associate with his co-offenders, without the express prior approval of his officer’.
He must be released on a date between April 16 and May 7.
When handing down the 14-year minimum sentence, Judge David Frearson said Ngati ”well aware of the possibility of maiming and killing others” due to his reckless driving.
Ngati, who was on parole, sped through red lights and veered onto the wrong side of the road during the chase.
This led the NSW government to introduce ‘Skye’s Law’, which provided tougher penalties for drivers who deliberately tried to avoid arrest by commencing high-speed police chases.