Australia’s 'most hated man' appears in court

Richard Pusey filmed police officers dying after a road accident but refused to help

Richard Pusey walks down a street in Melbourne, Australia on October 16, 2020 after he was granted bail. AP

An Australian man who filmed the last agonising moments of a police officer as she lay dying on the side of a Melbourne motorway was labelled "probably the most hated man in Australia" by a judge.

Richard Pusey, 42, appeared in court this week for a pre-sentencing hearing after admitting to filming the horrific aftermath of the Eastern Freeway crash on April 22 last year.

Mr Pusey had been pulled over by police for speeding when a lorry crashed through the emergency lane and killed four officers – Senior Constables Lynette Taylor and Kevin King, and Constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney.

Mr Pusey was spared from injury because had been behind the guardrails of the motorway. After the accident, he  grabbed his phone and began recording the scene, while making comments such as “amazing” and describing what had happened as "justice".

Mr Pusey's graphic video zoomed in on the face and body of Taylor as she lay moaning at the crash site, the court was told.

Judge Trevor Wraight acknowledged the public outrage at Mr Pusey's actions during the hearing saying, “they have demonised him to the point where he is probably the most hated man in Australia”.

Mr Pusey was stopped by police while driving his Porsche at 149kph. Shortly after being pulled over, a lorry driver, who was allegedly sleep deprived and drug affected, hit the officers on the side of the road.

Other drivers rushed to help the four officers, while Mr Pusey filmed the scene for three minutes. Witnesses at the scene called on Mr Pusey to help but according to their reports he simply said: “They’re dead.”

Mr Pusey will return to court next month.