Trucking boss to avoid jail despite officers' deaths

A trucking company is facing millions in fines stemming from the death of four police officers, but the firm's managing director will not be jailed for his role in serious safety law breaches.

Connect Logistics and Corey Matthews pleaded guilty earlier this year to charges brought by the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator following a 2020 incident in which a 19-tonne semi trailer slammed into the officers during a traffic stop on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway.

Driver Mohinder Singh was fatigued and high on methamphetamine at the time of the crash and is serving more than 18 years behind bars.

Following the crash, investigators scoured Connect's workplace safety practices and found multiple breaches, including drivers working dangerously long hours.

On several occasions, Melbourne supervisor and driver Simiona Tuteru worked more than 20 hours a day and falsified logs to cover his tracks, a fact allegedly known by several of the company's managers in Victoria.

Signs that Singh was unfit to drive in the lead-up to the crash were also ignored, in breach of the company's own policies.

The heavy-vehicle regulator alleged Connect Logistics, which is no longer operating, contravened its duties by exposing the public to a risk of death or serious injury by failing to ensure drivers were assessed and monitored for fatigue and drugs and alcohol.

Prosecutors told a court the breaches were the most serious of their type, with Connect facing combined fines of over $5 million, while Matthews could personally be forced to pay over $50,000.

However, he does not face any jail time.

Matthews oversaw the company's national operations from Sydney and was charged for failing to exercise due diligence.

Leading Senior Constable Lynette Taylor, Constable Glen Humphris, Senior Constable Kevin King and Constable Josh Prestney were killed in the crash.

Prosecutor Jennifer Single told Sydney's Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday the fact that Singh was allowed to drive on the night of the crash showed a complete breakdown in systems intended to protect public health and safety.

Singh failed to undergo mandatory medical testing after being re-hired by the company, which Ms Single said could have flagged him as being unfit to drive.

"It's a very real possibility that if he'd been given drug and alcohol testing his meth use would have been picked up," she said.

The court was told multiple people raised issues with Singh's fitness to drive in the days before the crash.

Singh was called in for a meeting with Mr Tuteru on the day of the crash and admitted that he was unfit to drive.

Rather than immediately standing Singh down until he could be medically assessed, as was Connect's policy, Mr Tuteru instead searched Singh's car for "voodoo dolls or any signs of witchcraft".

"He then told him he was fit to drive, put him in a truck, and sent him on his way," Ms Single said.

"Very soon after, the four police officers died."

Ms Single said employees in Victoria were not aware of policies intended to deal with instances where a driver was unfit to drive.

"All they had to do was to give drivers basic training in the policies they already had and these deaths could have been avoided," she said.

Const Prestney's mother and father and Const Humphris' partner were present in court for the hearing, which continues.

A sentence is expected on Friday.