Medical experts to weigh in as diabetic crash driver fights charges

A diabetes expert and specialist physician will give evidence to a hearing for a diabetic driver who killed five people after his glucose levels plummeted.

William Swale, 66, will face Ballarat Magistrates Court again on Tuesday as he fights five charges of culpable driving causing death and negligently causing serious injury over the deadly Daylesford pub crash in 2023.

He allegedly mounted the kerb in his SUV and hit several people seated on the front lawn of the Royal Daylesford Hotel, on the evening of November 5.

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Pratibha Sharma, 44, her daughter Anvi, 9, and partner Jatin Kumar, 30, and their friend Vivek Bhatia, 38, and his son Vihaan, 11, were all killed.

Prosecutors will allege Swale, who was diagnosed with diabetes in 1994, ignored warnings from a bluetooth device about his blood glucose levels declining before he suffered a hypoglycaemic episode while driving.

A witness to the crash, hospitality worker Martin Hinck, told police Swale looked "bloody awful" and "like he was wasted" when he ran over to Swale's BMW within one minute of the crash.

He told the court on Monday Swale's mouth was open, eyes closed and he looked "quite a flushed colour" when he found him behind the wheel.

Meanwhile, paramedics who treated Swale at the scene told the court his blood glucose measurement was dangerously low as they administered a glucagon injection and sugar water to him.

Paramedic Michael Barker said he told nearby police it appeared Swale had suffered a severe hypoglycaemic attack.

Diabetes expert Professor John Carter and specialist diabetes physician Johnathan Cohen are expected to give evidence to the court on Tuesday.

Following the hearing, Magistrate Guillaume Bailin will decide whether Swale should be committed to stand trial over the crash.