Man who filmed police officer dying is ‘probably the most hated man in Australia’

An Australian man, who filmed four dying police officers following a crash, is “probably the most hated man in Australia”, said a judge as the accused pleaded for mercy.

Richard Pusey, 42, previously pleaded guilty to filming and mocking officers as they lay on the ground before dying. He exclaimed “that's amazing” and “that is f—-ing justice” while recording the video last year after he was pulled over by four officers for speeding.

Judge Trevor Wraight acknowledged the public outrage over Pusey’s actions and said he “probably the most hated man in Australia”.

The stern remarks came Wednesday during a pre-sentencing hearing.

The accident happened on 22 April last year when Pusey was stopped for speeding at 149 kilometers (93 miles) per hour in his Porsche. The officers were discussing whether to impound the car when a truck being driven by Mohinder Singh swerved into them.

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Pusey escaped the crash because at the time because he had gone to urinate at the side of the road.

He started filming video as one of the officers lay wedged between the truck and the car while others were already dead. He zoomed in on their faces and injuries as he continued to mock their deaths with slurs.

“Oh he’s smashed. Look at that. Look at that. Lucky I went and had a piss,” he said. ”Look at that man, you f***ing c***s. You c***s. I guess I'll be getting a f***ing Uber home, huh,“ he added.

”That is f***ing justice, absolutely amazing, that is f***ing amazing,” he said as witnesses pleaded with him to stop filming the video and help in rescuing them.

In March, he pleaded guilty to outraging public decency, speeding and reckless conduct during the hearing. He also admitted possessing ecstasy, after returning positive tests results for both ecstasy and marijuana at the time when he was pulled over.

His lawyer asked the judge to consider a community corrections order for his client, saying he has not been presented in a right way in the media and his actions had “taken hold in the public imagination”.

“There is amongst all the hatred and all the condemnation that has been directed towards this man, there is a part for sympathy, and some part to play for mercy,“ Mr Dann said. ”This man was not taunting dying police officers.”

However, prosecutor Robyn Harper said Pusey’s actions were “deliberate, callous and deprived”.

The judge agreed to access Pusey for the community order before he would be sentenced in a hearing in late April.

Singh, the man who was behind the wheels pleaded guilty to 10 charges and is due to be sentenced next month.

Pusey has already spent 268 days in pre-sentence detention and is due to be sentenced on 28 April. He faces potential five years in prison in maximum sentence.