The devastated mother of a teenage boy killed in the passenger seat of a high-speed car crash looked at the driver in court and told him: ‘We don’t forgive and we don’t forget’.
Nicholas Honsellers, 18, died on the night of December 24, 2020 when his Mitsubishi Lancer crashed into a power pole in Leppington, south-west of Sydney.
The car, driven by P-plater Savio Khamau, 18, was traveling at 157 km/h at one point as police chased Khamau.
The impact of the crash was so severe that the Lancer split in two at the pole and both the teenagers were thrown from the vehicle.
Mr Honselaers, who was in the front passenger seat, died at the scene, while Khamaou was taken to hospital with an arm injury and a mandatory examination under police guard.
Khamau was found guilty of murder in Parramatta District Court on Wednesday.
Nicholas Honsellers (pictured left with his then-girlfriend), 18, died when his Mitsubishi Lancer crashed into a power pole in Leppington, south-west of Sydney, on the night of December 24, 2020.
Mr Honseller’s mother gave a psychological victim impact statement during the hearing.
‘(Nicholas) is a boy who made me a mother,’ she said.
‘He was the boy who made our lives better. He had a smile that lit up the room. He was loved by all, young and old.
‘He was my best friend, we did everything together. He was a part of me and I lost a part of myself forever.’
He described his family as ‘torn apart’ by the tragic loss and said ‘we don’t forgive and we don’t forget.’
Mr Honselaers finished high school just over a year ago in 2019 and planned to stay abroad after finishing university.
His mother said his life was ‘just beginning to blossom’
‘She will never marry, she will never see her brother marry, she will never have children,’ the court heard she said.
‘He will never be able to fulfill his dream of travel.’
‘The world has lost a beautiful soul destined for greatness.’
The impact of the crash was so severe that the Lancer split in two at the pole and both the teenagers were thrown from the vehicle.
Honseler’s mother shared a heartbreaking victim impact statement in which she described her son as her ‘best friend’, ‘beautiful soul’ and added that he had ‘lost a part of me forever’
The teenager was a keen football fan who played, coached and refereed for local teams – who paid emotional tributes after his death.
Hoenselaars was studying to become a school teacher in his first year of university and devoted his spare time to coaching and refereeing youth teams at his football club.
The Sydney City Eagles wrote in a post after the teenager’s death: ‘Nicholas had a huge tender heart who had time for everyone. He will be greatly missed.’
Khamau spent three weeks behind bars before being released on bail in January 2021.
He was cross-examined during the hearing on Wednesday.
Khamau told the court that he had thoughts of taking his own life after the accident.
The court heard Khamu had only held his P-plates since January 2020 and had been caught speeding two months before the crash.
The teenager was a keen football fan who played, coached and refereed for local teams – who paid emotional tributes after his death.
Honselaar was studying to become a school teacher in his first year of university and devoted his spare time to coaching and refereeing youth teams at his football club.
On the night of the fatal accident, Khamau and Hoenseler went to a restaurant for dinner and then left to see the Christmas lights.
Police identified Khamu’s car as speeding while the couple was on the road.
Officers tried to pull Khamu over but he told the court he tried to avoid police because he was afraid of losing his licence.
Khamou was found guilty of murder by Judge Stephen Hanley. His bail was canceled and he was taken into custody.
He will be sentenced next week.