'This next part's going to be fun': Bus driver joked with wedding guests before fatal crash (2024)

Warning: This story contains distressing content.

Bus driver Brett Button has admitted he said "this is going to be fun" moments before 10 passengers died on the charter coach he was driving.

Button, 59, was transporting wedding guests when the bus crashed, killing 10 people and injuring 25 others, at Greta in the New South Wales Hunter Valley in June last year.

Earlier this month the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions agreed to a plea deal that led to 10 manslaughter charges being dismissed, but Button pleaded guilty to 35 other charges, including dangerous driving occasioning death.

His case was mentioned for the first time in Newcastle District Court today where the facts, agreed on by the police prosecutor, Button and his defence solicitor, were formally tendered to the court for the first time.

The facts outline observations by passengers onboard the bus.

'This next part's going to be fun'

During the drive Button turned on music and fostered a party atmosphere and engaged in banter with the guests back and forth, according to the documents.

At one stage during the journey Button said, "If you liked that corner, you're going to like this one".

At another point, the facts state a passenger said, "This guy's going a bit fast, he's gone crazy".

Button responded, "Oh, it's nothing", and described times when he had driven fast and driven a four-wheel drive on sand dunes.

As the bus approached the roundabout a couple of minutes later, the offender said, "This next part's going to be fun" and then accelerated.

A passenger said to his wife, "He's coming in hot" and his wife replied, "He's going too fast".

Another passenger said, "I am scared", others put on their seat belts and another said, "Slow down", before the bus tipped and slid along a guard rail.

The agreed facts also state that passengers from a car following the bus tried to comfort the injured and the dying.

"[One witness] looked through the bus manhole, he realised the gravity of some of the injuries," the facts said.

"[Another witness] recalls seeing the offender standing and staring, apparently in shock.

"Inside the bus it was clear that a number of people were deceased."

Opioid detected in driver's blood

When emergency crews arrived Button was arrested and later tested for alcohol and drugs.

The facts state he had a blood concentration of 0.62 milligrams per litre of the opioid Tramadol in his blood.

"Dr Judith Perl, clinical forensic pharmacologist, opines that the blood concentration would strongly suggest a dose of around 400 mg in the 24 hours prior to the blood sample being taken," the facts said.

Prosecutors concluded that "given the high concentration of Tramadol in the offender's system, his driving ability would have been impaired".

No defects were discovered during an examination of the bus.

The facts said collision reconstruction expert Gavin Lennon determined the bus was going 56.48 kilometres per hour, which was too fast for the type of vehicle at the roundabout.

"Collision reconstruction expert Mr Lennon calculated the 'tipping threshold' (being the speed at which rollover of the bus was likely) to be 31 kph at the entry to the roundabout," the facts said.

The bus stayed at the scene for close to two days as it was examined, before being righted and taken away.

Sentencing process to be lengthy

The court has today been told sentencing proceedings will be drawn out given the gravity of the case.

Button was wearing prison greens and sporting a bushy beard when he faced the court via audio visual link from prison.

Judge Peter McGrath asked him to again enter his pleas of guilty in the higher court.

With his head bowed and hands clasped, Button quietly said guilty to 19 charges and agreed that a further 16 would be taken into account on sentence.

Before adjourning the case Judge McGrath noted sentencing proceedings would be lengthy.

"A lot of thought has gone into the sentence and the time it will take," he said.

"It is usually measured in hours or days, but this is a different matter."

Button's case has been adjourned to June 13, before Newcastle District Court Judge Roy Ellis, who is expected to set a sentence date on that day.

Editor’s note 03/06/2024: This article has been republished after the court granted access to court documents.