WA news LIVE: Perth obstetrician cries as magistrate denies his $1 million bid for bail

To breaking news now and Perth obstetrician Rhys Bellinge will soon be behind bars after being refused bail this morning in Perth Magistrate’s Court.

The doctor is accused of losing control of his Jaguar on Saturday night, causing him to clip the curb and crash into an Uber car on the opposite side of the road, killing passenger Elizabeth Pearce, 24, and critically injuring the driver.

The 45-year-old was allegedly drunk and speeding 130km/h in a 50 zone when the crash occurred on Birdwood Avenue in Dalkeith.

Dashcam footage from his vehicle allegedly reveals he was angrily ranting about his wife in the moments before the crash, and in the weeks leading up to it, following their separation a month earlier.

Police prosecutors opposed bail, alleging there was evidence of him repeatedly driving dangerously, and that they held concerns for his wife.

His lawyer, Tony Hager, said Bellinge was in Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital with a spinal injury, and would not be able to receive appropriate care if bail was denied, and he was taken into custody.

Hager said Bellinge’s family – one of the richest in Perth – could put up $1 million surety for his release if he was allowed to reside in his father’s riverside mansion, “effectively on house arrest” while the matter proceeded through the courts.

He is facing one count of manslaughter and another count of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.

Perth Magistrate Clare Cullen, in considering bail this morning, said the main issues were whether the offending was too serious, whether Bellinge was a flight risk, and whether he was a risk to the community.

She said she was concerned by Bellinge’s willingness to engage in “reckless and dangerous conduct when faced with emotional upset” and his “aggression to the world at large”.

“Having viewed the footage … I am of the view that a grant of bail would be inappropriate,” she said.

“Over the period of February, there appears to be some evidence of a willingness to offend and act in a reckless manner when emotionally upset. I am not satisfied that I can make a finding that you would not commit further offences in the community.”

The police prosecutor also argued Bellinge is facing a significant term of imprisonment if convicted.

“The seriousness of this cannot be understated … the fact that he was going to kill someone was inevitable,” she said.