Oatlands crash: Danny Abdallah speaks out after Samuel Davidson’s jail sentence slashed

A distraught father has spoken out after the drugged and drunk driver of a ute that ploughed into his three children had his jail sentence slashed by eight years.

Danny Abdallah’s three children Sienna, eight, Angelina, 12, and Antony, 13 and their cousin Veronique Sakr, 11, were walking to get ice cream in Oatlands, Sydney when Samuel William Davidson mounted the kerb and killed all four in February, 2020.

The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal decided on Friday that Davidson’s original 28 year sentence, carrying a non-parole period of 21 years, was manifestly excessive.

Mr Abdallah said the decision to reduce Davidson’s sentence to just 20 years with a non-parole period of 15 years was ‘disappointing’ and he was unable to see how his children’s killer was successful in the appeal.

Danny and Leila Abdallah (pictured) were left disappointed in the justice system after an appeal saw the killer of their three children have his sentence reduced by eight years

Samuel William Davidson has his jail term slashed by eight years on Friday after killing four children in Oatlands, in February, 2020

‘Today is a tough one…it brought us back to the tragedy, we were slowly moving forward and focusing on the kids but it just brought us back there again,’ Mr Abdallah told 2GB’s Jim Wilson. 

‘Look four (children) died and three are spiritually dead they’re just walking around with grief and pain. 

‘Although we did forgive the driver, I’m just disappointed by the justice system.’

Mr Abdallah, who has four children with wife Leila, said his children who survived the incident couldn’t understand why the sentence had been reduced, and felt ‘let down’. 

‘At the end of the day what they’re (justice system) doing is they’re giving permission for other people to take drugs and drink alcohol and drive because the sentence is going to be not much,’ he said.

‘It’s not about me and my family, it’s the next family that goes through this.

‘What example have we shown society when someone does something like that?

‘We’ve got to live with our life sentence.’ 

 Immediately after Samuel William Davidson mowed down a group of children on a Sydney footpath, killing four of them, he was resigned to being jailed. His jail term has now been slashed

Antony (far left), 13, Angelina (far right), 12, and Sienna Abdallah (front left), 9, were killed in the horror accident on February 1, 2020

Davidson, a professional truck driver, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Veronique Sakr, 11 (on right), and her cousins, Sienna Abdallah, eight, and her siblings Angelina, 12, and Antony, 13 (left)

Former truck driver Davidson pleaded guilty to manslaughter for the children he killed and also pleaded guilty to three charges relating to the injuries caused to three other children. One boy has suffered permanent brain damage.

Veronique’s mother, Bridget, was equally devastated by the decision, which was made by a panel of appeal court judges.

‘What does it say about our judicial system? What we can do is help change the law so other families don’t go what we go through,’ she told the Parramatta Advertiser.

‘One thing I want to say is it was all about him getting a crushing sentence but it’s our kids who were crushed. 

‘No one’s going to bring back Veronique or her cousins. I just worry what this means for future tragedies.’

After the crash, Davidson appeared distressed and was heard saying: ‘What have I done? … I have killed people … I am going to jail.’

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Bridget Sakr (centre) says she is devastated by the decision to release Samuel William Davidson early

Mr Abdullah said at the time of Davidson’s sentencing that it did not matter whether he received one year or 100 years, ‘we won’t get Antony, Angelina, Sienna and Veronique back.’ 

‘We will all have our hearts broken until the day we take our last breath and no sentence can help ease that pain,’ he said.

When sentencing Davidson at Parramatta’s District Court, Judge James Bennett said Davidson’s menacing, dangerous and aggressive driving over a significant period leading up to the tragic event showed he had abandoned all responsibility to the road safety of others.

Danny and Leila Abdallah, parents of three of the children who were killed, have previously said they had forgiven the driver 

The tragedy was inevitable, but the magnitude of the tragedy extended to the unimaginable, Judge Bennett said. 

At the time, the professional truck driver was afforded a 25 per cent discount on sentence after pleading guilty to manslaughter for the children he killed and also pleading guilty to three charges relating to the injuries caused to three other children. 

Davidson, the son of a former policeman, had been sitting poolside with his housemates drinking Vodka Cruisers and beers, having his first drink about 7am before consuming drugs and driving that fateful morning.

The children were on their way to get ice-cream when Davidson ploughed into them on February 1

He was observed by witnesses speeding through a red light, swerving anti-clockwise around a round-about, and driving at a maximum speed of 133km/h in a 50km/h zone.

After the crash, Davidson appeared distressed and was heard saying: ‘What have I done?

‘I have killed people … I am going to jail.’ 

After Davidson’s sentencing, Mr Abdallah said his main disappointment lay in Australian culture’s love of drugs and alcohol.

‘That’s where my frustration is, more than the driver.’ 

Davidson’s letter of apology stated that he is heartbroken to have hurt such beautiful families by his horrid actions. 

He said that he would do anything to relive that day sober and never leave the house. 

Davidson will now be eligible for parole on January 31, 2035.