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Newcastle Herald
Newcastle Herald
National
Sam Rigney

Killer driver jailed as shocking traffic record revealed

Christian Langham. Picture by Smart Artist

BENJAMIN Koosmen knew what could happen if he used drugs and got behind the wheel of a car.

But despite the fact he had been drinking, using cocaine and methamphetamine and was once again disqualified from driving, Koosmen stole his parents' car on the night of December 1, 2022.

He ignored the court orders that prohibited him from driving, ignored his history of drug-induced psychosis and horrendous driving record, which included crashing cars while drug affected.

And then he ignored the calls of his mother to return home and the flashing lights of a police vehicle behind him.

Finally, he ignored a red light and sped through a major intersection, killing beloved and respected motorcycle mechanic and businessman Christian Langham.

After the crash, he fled the scene without offering any help, broke into three nearby homes and stole a car before reversing back into the crash scene.

Christian Langham was killed when the motorcycle he was riding was hit by a car at Fennell Bay in December, 2022. Benjamin Christopher Koosmen was on Friday jailed for manslaughter.

Koosmen, now 34, was on Friday jailed for a maximum of 15 years for a course of driving that a judge said "displayed an extreme level of recklessness".

Judge Robert Sutherland outlined Koosmen's horrendous driving record that he said featured "a persistence to repeatedly drive while disqualified" as well as convictions for reckless driving, speeding and drink driving that had landed him in jail or rehab.

Koosmen had caused at least two other serious car crashes in the years before killing Mr Langham, including crashing into a boat on a trailer while drug affected and rolling his car after trying to overtake a family on the wrong side of the road.

But despite his troubling history, Koosmen did not think it was an issue that he had relapsed and began drinking alcohol and using cocaine in the weeks before he got behind the wheel and caused the fatal crash.

He gave evidence earlier this month that after work on December 1, 2022, he went to a pub for a beer and snorted a line of cocaine with a friend.

He said he began to feel "off" and asked his mate to drive him home.

"It affected me in a really bad way," Koosmen said. "I was in a bad head space."

A blood analysis would later reveal Koosmen had a near toxic level of methamphetamine in his system, but he claimed he had not knowingly used ice and it must have been in the cocaine he snorted.

From there, Koosmen became "anxious, paranoid and overwhelmed". He described it as "falling into psychosis".

He stole his father's car at Wangi Wangi and drove off, his mother repeatedly urging him to come home and threatening to call the police.

Koosmen returned briefly, but took off again after his parents tried to take the keys out of the ignition.

He drove to Blackalls Park and then Toronto, where police saw him swerve and ignore a stop sign.

By this time, Koosmen's mother had made good on her promise to call police.

Koosmen drove towards Fennell Bay with police following him. He lost them, but stopped until they caught up with him again, only to speed away.

"This guy is going to kill someone," one of the police officers said.

And about 10pm, Koosmen did.

He sped into an intersection, ignoring a red light and hit Mr Langham on his motorbike, killing him.

Christian Langham. Picture by Smart Artist

Koosmen fled without stopping to help the fatally injured rider and broke into two nearby homes.

He then jumped the fence into a backyard and broke into a third home where he told an occupant "there are people chasing me".

Koosmen took keys to a Nissan Prado and rammed a driveway gate a number of times to get through.

He reversed towards the crash scene where police recognised him and he was arrested.

Koosmen pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was on Friday jailed for a maximum of 15 years, with a non-parole period of 10 years.

With time served, he will be eligible for parole in 2032.

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