British woman jailed after killing dad-of-two in drunken e-scooter crash

Kemp, 25, was in the country on a working holiday visa and started her pub crawl with a bottomless brunch.

After drinking for several hours, the psychology graduate booked an e-scooter using an app, the Perth District Court heard.

On CCTV, she was seen weaving in and out of pedestrians on the e-scooter at speeds of 12.5mph, with her friend riding pillion.

The footage showed several pedestrians who took evasive action as she rode the e-scooter.

With over three times the driving limit of alcohol in her system at 0.185, she crashed into Thanh Phan, a 51-year-old father-of-two, with his body spinning in the air.

Unable to catch his fall, he hit the pavement, later dying from a brain bleed two days later.

Judge Wendy Hughes said Kemp was an intelligent and caring young woman and accepted there was no malicious intent behind her actions on May 31.

Kemp’s friend suffered a fractured skull and broken nose but recovered from her injuries.

The judge described the incident as a “cautionary tale about the dangers of e-scooters”.

Phan is believed to be the first pedestrian to die as a result of an e-scooter injury.

Hire scooters have been suspended in central Perth and some inner-city councils since the accident.

Kemp pleaded guilty at Perth Magistrates’ Court in August to a charge of drink driving causing death, with a secondary charge of causing bodily harm to her passenger being dropped.

Kemp was tearful as she relived the events of the day and as Mr Phan’s widow, Loan Lee, read her victim statement.

Ms Lee described her husband as the main financial provider and a devoted father to their two autistic children, aged 18 and 20.

She said Mr Phan cared for their severely autistic eldest son by feeding and bathing him.

She said: “He keeps asking when dad is coming back. I worry every day what will happen to my sons if I am unable to cope.

“The pain of watching someone wait for someone who will never return is indescribable.”

Wendy Hughes gave her a sentence of four years, backdated to June 2025, with a non-parole period of two years, meaning at the earliest she can be released in mid-2027.

Her driving licence was also suspended for two years.

Michael Tudori, Kemp’s lawyer, said outside court: “She’s a good girl who just made a terrible mistake.

“She understands she’s going to be punished for what she’s done. She’s incredibly sorry.”

Ms Hughes said: “You, Miss Kemp, are the cautionary tale. That is the truth for you.

“E-scooters are not toys. If you drive while drunk at speed with a passenger without due care or attention and break the rules, that is not an accident.

“That is the truth for you. It is not classed as an accident. You were responsible for the death of a good man, and I accept you understand.”