The mum of Wollongong teenager Libby Ruge has described the shocking moment she saw her daughter's body on the road being treated by paramedics before being told she was not going to survive.
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Julie Ruge read the heartbreaking victim statement to Wollongong District Court during a sentencing hearing following the death of 19-year-old Libby after she was ploughed down by a car in Wollongong in November 2020.
Jaskaran Singh was driving the car and in May was found guilty of dangerous driving causing Libby's death, as well as the grievous bodily harm of two of her friends, Tye West, 23, and Eva Harrison, 20, and failing to assist at the scene of the crash. He was sentenced today to six years in jail.
Arpan Sharma, 22, who pulled the handbrake from the passenger seat, causing the vehicle to skid, pleaded guilty to three dangerous driving charges. He was sentenced to five years in jail.
Libby was walking along Flinders Street with her boyfriends and two friends on a night out when she was hit by the car.
Julie Ruge said she will never come to terms with her daughter's death.
"How do I put into words the impact of losing my daughter. For the past 19 years, Libby has been my purpose and my life. My daughter was my best friend," Ms Ruge said.
"We did everything together and had the best time. She was the kindest and craziest person I knew.
"Libby played Cello at the Wollongong Conservatorium. It now rips my heart out to hear a Cello or to see mother and daughter together.
"I rarely leave the house. I don't sleep, if I do, I'm haunted by nightmares."
When Libby's boyfriend Luke called that night to say Libby had been hit by a car, Julie Ruge said she thought it would be ok, 'things like this don't happen to our family'.
"When we arrived at the roundabout near Collegians, I could see it was no accident. We knew it was bad," she said.
"We were stopped by Police as we watched paramedics working on Libby's broken body. We were watching her die. I wanted to donate her organs but was told as well as severe head injuries, Libby's organs were no longer viable as she had been gone for too long.
"When I was led into the room to see Libby, I could not fathom the broken face I saw, could be my child. I did not believe it and asked to see her hands.
Ms Ruge told the court she suffers post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and prolonged grief disorder.
"I was a happy person with a vibrant career. I created and sourced many jobs for people with disabilities," she said.
She added she had not been able to work since Libby's death.
"I'm unable to concentrate. I used to love going out with friends and travel. My life at home is lonely and sad. I cry every day. My daughter is still gone.
"I fight the urge everyday to be with Libby. I've gained 20 kilos in weight and my phone face ID no longer recognises me.
"I'm not living, I'm existing. I don't want an apology. I want the punishment to fit the crime.
"You've shown no lack of remorse and complete disregard for the loss of life - my beautiful daughter."
Libby's stepmother Jules Harrison also read her impact statement to the court.
"For 19 years and 12 days I patiently and watched my daughter grow into her own person.
"I showed her how to be a good kind and caring person. Libby taught me how to become a better person. I wanted her to be the best person she could be. Libby had her dream job as a dental assistant and wanted to study dentistry to help others."
"She was planning her engagement and looking for house and land packages with her soon to be fiance.
"I saw her enter this world which was the most incredible moment in my life. When I placed her ashes into her final resting place it was the most devastating moment of my life.
"To see Libby's face broken, missing her left tooth, bone protruding from her nose, her collapsed left cheek and how unbelievably cold she was.
"The smell of her blood and the sound of her mother crying at the hospital. Her best friend, Eva in the next cubicle screaming when Libby was pronounced dead at 11.55 pm November 7, 2020.
Jaskaran Singh, was driving the car that hit Libby Ruge, killing her and causing grievous bodily harm to two others that night.
![Jaskaran Singh Jaskaran Singh](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/e5Qc2M5qQnfX3PTaVNk9Vy/eba1e392-e963-4a8c-9aa5-4e6590dcecaf.jpg/r0_214_4192_2580_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
In Wollongong District Court today, Singh expressed his remorse and said he wanted to say sorry.
"It was the biggest mistake of my life that night. I hope for your forgiveness. "I wish I had died that night." Singh told the court.
Judge Baly described it as a catastrophic accident, when the car ploughed into four pedestrians killing Libby Ruge at 10.34 pm on November 7, 2020.
In sentencing, Judge Baly said it was an unusual matter as there were two drivers at the time but she added the case was not unusual in that the victims' injuries and their families loss are enduring.
Judge Baly said the victim impact statements from Libby's biological mother Jules Ruge and mother, Julie Harrison were poignant and heartbreaking.
"It's a plain fact that no sentence can compensate for the loss of life. In my view it was showing off - erratic driving and warnings were ignored including that the car had skidded in a handbrake pull, but it was pulled a second time."
Judge Baly commented that neither Singh nor Sharma had shown remorse for their actions and she hoped that would develop in time.
"Each offender is unlikely to re-offend and there are good prospects of rehabilitation."
![Arpan Sharma Arpan Sharma](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/e5Qc2M5qQnfX3PTaVNk9Vy/4f8e4802-7a71-4508-8d01-096ba0259096.jpg/r0_231_5472_3307_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Judge Baly sentenced Sharma to five years in prison with a non parole period of three years and four months.
Sharma will be eligible for parole in September 2025.
Singh was sentenced to six years, with a non parole period of four years.
He'll be eligible for parole in May 2026.