MEDIA RELEASE
Friday 28 November 2025
Warning: The below post contains the name of an Aboriginal young person who has died.
NSW Police officer Benedict Bryant has today been found guilty of dangerous driving occasioning death, following the death of Dunghutti teenager Jai Wright on 20 February 2022.
The judgment was handed down this morning by Judge Culver in the District Court of NSW.
“This verdict confirms that Benedict Bryant caused the death of Jai Wright. This is a tragedy that never should have happened,” said Nadine Miles, Principal Legal Officer of the Aboriginal Legal Service (NSW/ACT) Limited (ALS).
Jai was a proud Dunghutti boy who was just 16 when he died. He has been described by his parents as vibrant, funny, witty, and loved by many. His loss has been devastating for his family and community.
“It is rare for police officers to face criminal charges when they are involved in the death of a community member and even rarer for a court to return a guilty verdict. We are not aware of a previous instance where a police officer has been held criminally responsible for the death of an Aboriginal person in custody or in a police operation in NSW,” Ms Miles said.
“It is critical that police are held accountable for their actions. The community should be able to trust that they will be safe when interacting with police. It is shameful that the actions of some police officers show this trust is not earned or warranted.
“Police use force against Aboriginal people at vastly disproportionate rates. There is a particular lack of accountability for police who cause harm to Aboriginal people. The conviction of Benedict Bryant breaks with this trend and is an important step in the right direction,” Ms Miles said.
More than 600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people have died in custody and police operations since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody. Jai’s death must be seen in the context of these unacceptable and tragic deaths, many of which were preventable.
“The ALS stands with Jai’s family and community. We hope this finding brings his parents some relief, though nothing will make up for the loss of their son,” Ms Miles said.
ENDS
Media contact:
Alyssa Robinson [email protected] 0427 346 017
