Teen driver on cocaine racing to Perth nightclub before high-speed crash that killed Nick Campo, court hears

The teenager who pleaded guilty over a fatal crash that killed young footballer Nick Campo on his 18th birthday was under the influence of cocaine and trying to get to a nightclub before a lockout at the time, a court has been told.

The 18-year-old driver, who cannot be named, has appeared in the Perth Children's Court, where the court was briefed on the alleged facts of the case.

The crash, on a Saturday night in July 2024, lead to a huge outpouring of grief and saw Mr Campo's father leading a charge to put in passenger limits for P-platers.

The night of the crash

Mr Campo had been celebrating his 18th birthday on the night of his death with a party at his family's home in North Coogee.

Prosecutor James Nicholls told the court on Monday some of those at the party decided to go to Daisy's nightclub in Leederville, a 26 kilometre trip away.

Mr Nicholls said they thought the club had a lockout policy from midnight — it was in fact from 1am.

The offender, who was a P-plater, Nick Campo and three other male passengers, one aged 17 and two aged 18, got into the accused's Toyota Hilux ute about 11:15pm to get to Daisy's.

The court heard how the front passenger seat of the ute had been turned around and was facing backwards, not bolted down.

Nick Campo was in the rear passenger seat, directly facing the person sitting in the altered seat.

Mr Nicholls told the court the ute's speeds were captured by the iPhones of several occupants — though the defence is disputing the reliability and accuracy of these speeds.

Mr Nicholls alleged the accused ran at least one red light, reached 128 kph on Phoenix Road and 133 kph on North Lake Road.

He alleged the accused initially drove at 125 kph on Farrington Road but was driving at 100 kph or more at the time of the crash.

He told the court as the ute was passing a school, it left the single-carriageway road, mounted the kerb and ran into a grassed area.

He said the accused then oversteered the other way, towards the right, causing it to roll as it returned to the road.

The ute did not have a stabiliser bar and the court was told that contributed to the roll.

Point of impact

At 11:36pm it smashed "heavily" into a black Jeep coming the other way, with a 26-year-old man, who was driving, and 27-year-old woman who was a passenger, on board.

Mr Nicholls said the left side of the ute hit the front of the Jeep, and the ute was upside down at the time of impact.

He said the accused was wearing a seatbelt at the time, and possibly another passenger, but not Nick Campo or the other passengers.

The driver of the Jeep was sober and on the correct side of the road, the court heard.

Nick Campo died at the scene from catastrophic head and chest injuries.

The other passengers and drivers of both cars suffered a range of injuries.

Mr Nicholls said the offender admitted at the scene he was speeding as he was trying to get to Daisy's nightclub before it closed.

The court was told the offender was not alcohol-affected but was under the influence of cocaine at the time of the crash.

The defence said in essence the facts were accepted, but it is disputing some of the speeds reached, how many red lights were allegedly run and denies one of the seatbelts in the back seat was inaccessible at the time of the crash.

The teenager pleaded guilty to manslaughter, two counts of dangerous driving causing bodily harm and three counts of grievous bodily harm in March this year.

He is due to be sentenced next month.