New Zealand drunk driver jailed over crash outside Australian pub

Eric Cooper was jailed for six years for driving into nine pubgoers in Port Elliot, Australia. Photo / Supplied

A drunk driver who ploughed his car backwards into nine pubgoers “could not have cared less” about his victims, a judge has said.

Eric Cooper, who grew up in New Zealand, sped backwards into a group outside the Royal Family Hotel in Port Elliot, Australia, moments after sparking a brawl outside the venue.

The attack left one of his victims, Jonathan Hogg, fighting for his life and needing multiple surgeries.

South Australia’s District Court was told “innocent bystanders” were also among those hurt in the crash.

Cooper pleaded guilty to nine counts of aggravated dangerous driving and now faces the risk of deportation back to New Zealand.

During a sentencing hearing on Monday, the court was told the events on October 5, 2024, had been sparked by Cooper’s driving before the brawl broke out.

Judge Heath Barklay said Cooper was “drunk and driving his car around the streets of Port Elliot, revving his engine and driving at speed”.

A court heard “innocent bystanders” were among those hurt in the crash outside this Port Elliot pub. Photo / Supplied / Google Maps

He said the fracas broke out after Cooper took exception to being told to slow down and leave.

The court was told a fight broke out between Cooper and other individuals, who then smashed his car window as he returned to the vehicle.

But the judge said this did not justify what Cooper did next when he sped away before reversing the car into the group.

“There is no condoning their actions, but you brought it all on yourself – you were the initial aggressor,” Judge Barklay said.

“You stopped about 2m ahead then sped, reversing, into a group of people.”

The judge added not all of the people injured in the incident were directly involved in the altercation but were instead caught up in the aftermath.

He said at the time of the crash, Cooper had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.12%. The legal limit is 0.05%.

“You made a deliberate decision to drive dangerously,” Judge Barklay said.

“You say you are sorry that you hurt innocent bystanders, but at that time clearly you could not have cared less.

“You also appear to have a complete lack of insight into the fact it was your actions which caused this situation.”

The court was told Hogg was the victim who suffered the greatest harm in the crash after he was pinned against the pub by Cooper’s Ford hatchback.

It left the man, who was 22 at the time, fighting for his life, requiring emergency surgery to stabilise him and his leg was broken in two places.

Other victims included a 35-year-old who required surgery and an 18-year-old who suffered serious injuries.

“Your victims are traumatised by what they witnessed and the injuries they suffered as a result of your driving,” Judge Barklay said.

“The harm they have suffered was not simply physical.”

The court was told Cooper had grown up in New Zealand but moved to Australia in 2006 and was a father of four aged 22, 16, 14 and 12.

He had separated from the children’s mother and at the time of the crash had been living in a caravan park in Goolwa, south of Adelaide.

Cooper was jailed for six years, with a non-parole period of three years and 10 months.

His sentence was backdated to the day of the crash, meaning he will be in prison at least until August 2028.

On his release, he will then begin a 12-year ban from driving and could face deportation back to New Zealand.

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