Stephen Castellas: Transperth bus driver who dragged Mandurah boy down road, smashing his pelvis, hand, fined

A Transperth driver who lost his job after driving off with a boy’s foot trapped in a bus door, causing the youngster horrific injuries, has been slapped with a fine. Jeremy Thompson hopped on the bus with a group of friends on Pinjarra Road in Mandurah about 6pm on May 14 but before he could fully get on board, the driver shut the door. Despite protests from his friends and other witnesses, the driver accelerated the bus, dragging the then 12-year-old 300m along the road. Jeremy was taken to Peel Health Campus with a fractured pelvis, back and hand, and multiple cuts and abrasions before being transferred to Perth Children’s Hospital, where he had two skin grafts. Stephen Edward Castellas was sentenced on Friday at Mandurah Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to careless driving causing death, grievous bodily harm or bodily harm in November last year. Castellas’ lawyer Jordan Cahill told the court her client was remorseful for what happened but ultimately blamed the bus for the mistake. She explained the handbrake should not release if the door isn’t closed and said the victim’s foot was caught in the brushes. Ms Cahill also said her client was too short to see Jeremy stuck on the bus. In May last year, Jeremy told Nine News that Castellas “just closed the doors, the boys were telling him to stop and they like kicked the door and stuff ... telling him to stop but he just kept going”. Witnesses also described how they tried to stop the bus. Jamie Phillips said she chased the bus, yelling at the driver to stop. “I heard a boy yelling and banging ‘Let me in, let me in’ and when I turned he was like obviously banging on the bus door,” she said. “So he began to hop and then lost his footing and then was dragged by the bus.” Jeremy’s grandmother Brenda Hart said the ordeal had left the boy with nightmares. “At night-time, he’s waking up screaming, so I need to try to organise some counselling for that,” she said. After dragging him 300m going 60km/h down Mandurah Road, according to witnesses, Castellas finally stopped at the Pinjarra Road intersection traffic lights, opened the door, released Jeremy and drove off. Ms Cahill said Castellas did stop the bus but the boys had “run off”. She said he was assaulted a few years ago while working for Transperth and it “had quite an impact”. “It was his last shift for the evening, he was tired and wanted to get home,” she said. “He’s lost his job as a result and experiencing financial distress. “He has a lot of self loathing and really struggling with his actions that night and the impact on the victim.” Magistrate Leanne Atkins said Castellas failed to ensure the safety of the boy and bus drivers needed to have an extra level of care when dealing with passengers. “I’m told it was an evening shift and that you were tired and keen to get home, which gives me some concerns about your professionalism,” she said. “You are a professional driver and you failed to ensure the safety of that boy. “You know when you drive this bus there is a problem with your view of the bottom of the door; you know where the blind spots are and you are to ensure the safety of the children when they get on and off your buses.” Ms Atkins told Castellas to “consider some work on yourself” and fined him $3000, with costs of $300. When asked outside of court if he would like to apologise to Jeremy, Castellas did not reply.