Man accused of deliberately hitting 'blameless' 12yos with ute granted bail

Andrew Brien, a 56-year-old auto electrician from Mildura, was granted bail after being accused of deliberately striking two innocent 12-year-old boys with a Ford ute. The incident occurred on August 6 around 11pm in the Langtree Mall area. According to prosecutors, Brien pursued the boys after they were seen near his partner's damaged business.

The court heard that Brien was driving at an estimated speed of 79.2 kilometers per hour when he struck the boys, causing severe injuries. One boy sustained a concussion and a sore arm, while the other boy suffered a collapsed lung and multiple fractures. Police examined CCTV footage, which showed Brien driving recklessly and failing to render assistance to the injured boys.

The court heard that Brien called Triple Zero and his partner after the incident. Despite the severe nature of the charges, Magistrate Patrick Southey granted bail to Brien, citing his lack of prior convictions and the substantial delay expected in the court proceedings.