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A man who killed a young tradesman in a road rage incident in Sydney’s west, dragging the victim 100 metres down the street and pinning him to his car, will spend at least the next decade in prison.
Bradley Wilkinson killed 27-year-old Rhyce Harding in an altercation at Blackett in June 2024. In the NSW District Court on Monday, the 40 year-old was sentenced to 16 years’ jail with a non-parole period of 12 years.
Rhyce Harding was killed in a road rage incident in Blackett.Credit: World Gym
CCTV footage played earlier in court showed Wilkinson cutting off Harding after exiting a roundabout and refusing to allow him to merge and avoid a parked car.
Harding got out of his car and approached Wilkinson’s window. The Crown said Wilkinson held Harding against the side of his vehicle and drove past several houses before Harding fell under the wheels, later dying of his injuries.
After leaving the scene, Wilkinson handed himself in to police the next day.
Harding’s sister, Stephanie Grech, earlier told the court she was working a police shift when she heard about a fatal road rage incident over her radio. Upon checking the details of the cars involved, she realised it was her “baby brother” and cried out in pain.
At that earlier sentence hearing, Harding’s brother Michael Grech brought his brother’s ashes into the courtroom. One by one, Harding’s family members testified about the devastating impact on them of Harding’s death.
His sister said that, while her brother would want her to forgive Wilkinson, she did not know that she ever could.
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His mother, Mary Harding, said her son would wake up daily at 4.30am to make her breakfast, adding there was “not enough paper or ink that would fulfil the person he was”.
Earlier this year, Wilkinson pleaded guilty to manslaughter and failure to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death.
On Monday, acting Judge Paul Conlon said he was satisfied that Wilkinson’s expressions of remorse to Harding’s family in letters tendered to the court were genuine.
Conlon said the Crown pointed to Wilkinson’s prior criminal record, which included cases of “acting in a violent and threatening manner”, resulting in several common assault and stalking convictions between 2006 and 2014.
The Crown submitted these past crimes would contribute negatively to his prospect of rehabilitation.
In earlier sentencing submissions, Wilkinson’s lawyer suggested Wilkinson did not intend to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.
Conlon sentenced Wilkinson to an aggregate term of 16 years’ prison, to expire on June 20, 2040.
His non-parole period will make him eligible for parole on June 20, 2036.
Once released on parole, he will face a 12-month licence disqualification.
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