A young Tasmanian driver who treated his ute as if it “was a toy” before crashing and killing his best friend has been released from prison on parole.
Seth James Brown was 18 when he drove his 1995 Nissan Navara recklessly through Devonport streets and out to the airport in May 2022.
The P-plater lost control and crashed, killing one of his four passengers.
The Parole Board approved Brown’s early release from September 29, after he became eligible for parole. More than a year still remains on his two-and-a-half-year sentence.
“This was not a case in which an intoxicated driver caused someone’s death by driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” former Chief Justice Alan Blow said when sentencing Brown in July 2024.
“It is a case in which a completely sober 18-year-old drove as if his vehicle was a toy, placing the lives and safety of his passengers and himself at risk for the sake of a few quick thrills.”
The crash devastated the victim’s father, who told the court he has suffered nightmares, panic attacks and disturbed sleep since his son’s death.
Brown, now 21, told the board the crash cost him his best friend and that he “constantly thinks about the offence”.
“One mistake can cost someone their life,” he said.
The Parole Board said Brown had maintained a clean record in prison, working in the kitchen and seeking psychological support.
It said he had cut ties with his old social circle and now only spends time with family.
Brown, who had an intellectual disability before the crash and sustained a brain injury in it, has been approved for NDIS support.
He will live with relatives and work on his grandfather’s farm.
Community Corrections assessed him as a low risk to reoffend and recommended parole, which the board accepted.
As a condition of his release, Brown must be assessed for a mental health care plan and attend any recommended treatment.
His parole runs until December 2026. He was also disqualified from driving for three years from July 2024.
