Hunter Valley wedding bus crash: Brett Andrew Button pleads guilty to dangerous driving

The driver responsible for the fatal NSW Hunter Valley bus crash has pleaded guilty to a series of dangerous driving charges.

But Brett Andrew Button, 59, had all 10 manslaughter charges dropped when he faced Newcastle Local Court on Tuesday as he admitted lesser charges over the June 2023 blast that killed 10 people and injured dozens of others.

In an agreement with prosecutors, he pleaded guilty to 10 counts of dangerous driving causing death, nine counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm and 16 counts of angry driving causing bodily harm.

Ten wedding guests were killed in the crash. They included Rebecca Mullen, Zach Bray Angus Craig, Tori Cowburn, Nadene and Kyah McBride, Kane Symons, Andrew and Lynan Scott, and Darcy Bulman.

Previously, prosecutors said they would file a request to take Button into custody, a move that defense attorneys indicated they would not oppose.

He did not have to enter pleas to additional charges, including negligent driving causing death.

A further 25 charges of causing bodily harm by misconduct were dropped.

Button arrived at the court flanked by a group of about a dozen supporters.

He said nothing to a large group of waiting media.

Button was arrested after he lost control of a bus carrying wedding guests from the Wandin Valley Estate to Singleton at around 11.30pm on June 11.

The bus ended up on its side after hitting a guardrail.

Button has previously apologized for the incident, telling reporters outside court in March that he was “devastated by what happened” and that he was “truly and deeply sorry.”

The Public Prosecution Service would not comment on why the manslaughter charges were dropped.

Button had been granted bail after initially being released due to concerns about his mental health and wellbeing if he were kept in custody.

The bus rolled onto its side after Button lost control while transporting wedding guests

Families denounce ‘betrayal’

Matt Mullen, the father of Rebecca Mullen who died in the crash, made a plea to the Director of Public Prosecutions to proceed with the original manslaughter counts, which were included in the 89 charges Button faced.

“I have begged them, we are still waiting in the process now hoping they will reconsider,” Mr Mullen said. 7News.

“It’s a tattoo on our heart that we will have to wear forever for the rest of our lives.”

His wife Leanne said news of the reduced charges, which the families were informed of just 36 hours before Button’s hearing, had been devastating.

“As a mother, I could hold her while she was still warm, hold her hand, kiss her on the forehead and tell her the things I needed to say, but I was denied because it was a crime scene,” she said.

“But now it seems to me that those sacrifices of mine as a mother have not been respected.”

Montana Bray, whose 30-year-old brother Zach Bray died in the crash, said the news hit her hard.

“I feel disrespected and I feel like they are trying to settle things quickly and quietly,” she said.

“The ten people who died on that bus deserve more than this.”