A British backpacker has been brought to court over allegations of fatally injuring a father-of-two after colliding with him on an e-scooter, reportedly following a six-hour pub outing.
Alicia Kemp, 25, was charged over the horror smash that left 51-year-old Thanh Phan with fatal head injuries in June.
The individual, who hails from Redditch, Worcestershire and holds a degree in psychology, allegedly hit Mr. Phan from the rear while riding swiftly along a footpath in Perth, accompanied by a friend as a passenger.
The dad-of-two was rushed to hospital but tragically died of a brain bleed days later.
The Brit had been drinking for six hours before the crash, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.
Kemp faces charges of causing death by dangerous driving while under the influence of alcohol, along with charges for causing bodily harm by the same means.
The 25-year-old, who is yet to enter a plea, appeared on Tuesday at Perth Magistrates’ Court on video, court officials said.
Kemp was denied bail at a hearing in June.
She was remanded in custody in Australia until her case returns to court on 11 August for legal argument.
Prosecutors previously said Kemp had a blood alcohol content of 0.158 when she “careered into his back” at up to 25km/h as the dad stood at a crossing on a Saturday night in June.
The court heard walkers had to “take evasive action” to avoid Kemp’s “inexplicably dangerous” riding, which was captured on CCTV.
Her 26-year-old passenger also suffered a fractured skull and broken nose.
Kemp, who was in Australia on a four-month tourist visa with her partner, had been working at Durty Nelly’s Irish Pub in Perth.
She had been drinking with a friend from 2.30pm – who was kicked out of a bar for being too drunk – before they hired the e-scooter just before 8.30pm.
Her bail bid was rejected after a magistrate ruled she posed too great a flight risk.
The magistrate said: “It’s a very difficult decision for the court to make. The temptation might be that [she] won’t return.
“I can’t manage that risk.”
Phan’s devastated family described him as a “beloved husband, father-of-two, brother, and dear friend”, and are now calling for a crackdown on e-scooter safety laws.
“We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk,” they said in a statement.
In a statement released through police, Phan’s grieving family pleaded for privacy and called on authorities to tighten e-scooter hire regulations.
“We also call for a review of the governance and safety regulations surrounding hired e-scooters to help prevent further serious incidents that put lives at risk,” they said.
The charge of dangerous driving causing death carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
And under Western Australian law, e-scooter riders have to wear a helmet, be sober, carry no passengers and be over 16 years old.
