The mother of Mark Leslie Johnston was presenting a victim impact statement before Judge Walmsley as Dane Lloyd Martin sat crying in the dock charged over the car accident that killed his mate.

Martin had earlier entered a guilty plea to driving in a manner dangerous occasioning death.

Mr Johnston died at the scene of a horror smash on the Ilford Road near Rylstone in the early hours of February 7 last year, eight days before his 35th birthday.

His mother said her family would never get over the loss.

“Life is so fragile,’’ she said

“People are here one minute and gone the next. All that’s needed is one wrong decision by a driver.

“My son made a decision to accept a lift back to Rylstone. It cost him his life and left us with a life sentence.

“It breaks my heart that I will never again hear his voice or feel his touch.’’

Mrs Johnston said Martin (the driver of the vehicle) had been given a second chance at life.

She expressed hopes that her son had not died in vain and that Martin would move on with his life and become an advocate for safe driving among his peers.

“Mark is the first thing I think of every morning,’’ Mrs Johnston said.

“It will be like this for the rest of my life. Life and happiness will never be the same.’’

Tears flowed in the public gallery where family members and supporters of the accused and deceased sat grim-faced throughout the proceedings.

The court heard Martin had apologised to the Johnston family during a visit to their home.

“They were very dignified,’’ Martin told Judge Walmsley.

“I said I was very sorry for the loss of their son and my mate but no words can bring him back.’’

Martin conceded he had been affected by alcohol and driving at speed at the time of the accident.

The court was told Martin swerved on a left hand bend in an attempt to evade a mob on kangaroos on the roadway.

The car moved to the incorrect side of the road, rotated 360 degrees and ended up next to a tree.

Martin was treated in Nepean hospital for injuries sustained in the crash.

Back seat passenger Guy Murphy, 18, was also injured.

Judge Walmsley heard sentencing submissions yesterday and will hand down judgement on Wednesday.