Burswood car-meet driver pleads guilty to causing teen girl’s horror crash injuries

A young driver has pleaded guilty in a Perth courthouse to hitting a teenage girl with his car, causing serious internal injuries, following a late-night Burswood car meet.

Foreign student Chun Lai Yuen was supported by a group of family members as he pleaded guilty on Thursday in the Perth Magistrates Court to driving dangerously on July 14, causing grievous bodily harm in circumstances of aggravation.

Caitlyn Dickson was struck by the black Honda Civic on Camfield Drive near Crown Perth just before 10pm as the pre-arranged car club meeting was dispersing.

At a previous appearance, the court was told the 25-year-old was driving his Honda Civic sedan when he met more than 300 other drivers for the event at Jandakot at 6.30pm, before travelling to Bunnings Melville and finishing at the Crown Perth.

The court had been played footage at that appearance of the crash, which showed Yuen travelling at a high speed about 10pm on Camfield Drive, before he struck Caitlyn Dickson, 17, causing her to somersault twice in the air before hitting the bonnet of the car.

At Thursday’s appearance, the police prosecutor told the court the victim suffered life-threatening injuries including a fractured pelvis and elbow, bladder and spleen tears.

He told the court Yuen had been travelling “30 kilometres over the speed limit”.

Yuen’s lawyer Stephen McGrath asked Magistrate Robert Young to order a pre-sentence report.

When the magistrate queried the request, McGrath said it would be helpful for sentencing purposes to understand more about Yuen.

He also asked for a Cantonese interpreter to attend the next appearance.

The case was adjourned to December 11, with the sentencing report to be completed before then.

Yuen’s bail was extended on the same terms.

At a previous court appearance, the court heard Yuen had been in Perth for three years on a graduate visa after he completed an advanced diploma in electrical engineering.

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