An 18-year-old driver, Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe, has been refused bail after a car allegedly careered into a crowd of Newcastle Knights supporters on Saturday morning, injuring ten people.
Six people remain hospitalised at John Hunter hospital, with two in a serious condition and four stable. Among those injured is a five-year-old girl who was placed into an induced coma with critical injuries, though her condition has since stabilised.
Samarasinghe has been charged with nine offences, including dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving, and causing bodily harm by misconduct. He made no application for release during a court appearance on Sunday and was formally refused bail. The judge also endorsed a warrant for a health assessment.
The bail court was informed that the most serious charge, dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, carries a maximum jail term of seven years. Samarasinghe is scheduled to appear next at Newcastle local court on 15 October.
One of the injured, Chris Clancy, suffered small fractures in his ribs and spine, a broken collarbone, and small fractures in his foot. Investigators do not believe the incident was deliberate.