Perth Obstetrician Rhys Bellinge Jailed 10 Years 6 Months After 134kmh Drunk Crash Kills Elizabeth Pearce

Perth obstetrician Rhys Bellinge has been sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison after a drink-driving crash that claimed the life of 24-year-old Elizabeth Pearce and left rideshare driver Muhammad Usman with permanent injuries. The sentence, handed down in the Western Australian Supreme Court, follows one of the state’s most closely watched dangerous driving cases in recent years.

The fatal collision happened in the affluent Perth suburb of Dalkeith on February 15, 2025. Court evidence showed Bellinge was driving a supercharged Jaguar at speeds reaching 134 km/h on residential roads before crashing into a Honda Jazz carrying Ms Pearce as a passenger.

Justice Amanda Forrester said the driving was prolonged, deliberate and highly dangerous, finding that Bellinge repeatedly ignored the safety of everyone sharing the road.

Speed and Alcohol Were Key Factors

During sentencing, prosecutors outlined the extent of Bellinge’s intoxication. He recorded a roadside breath test of 0.18, followed by a blood alcohol concentration of 0.22, more than four times Australia’s standard legal driving limit.

The court heard that excessive speed and alcohol together created an obvious and foreseeable danger. Investigators said the combination dramatically reduced reaction time and increased the force of the collision.

Dashcam footage recorded from inside the Jaguar was played in court. The video reportedly showed Bellinge accelerating aggressively through suburban streets while shouting moments before the crash. The footage formed an important part of the prosecution’s case.

Further details of the sentencing proceedings are available through ABC News.

Court Considered Earlier Driving Incidents

The sentencing did not focus only on the fatal crash. Prosecutors also pointed to dangerous driving offences committed by Bellinge several days earlier, on February 9, involving excessive speed and driving on the wrong side of the road in other parts of Perth.

Although alcohol use could not be established during those earlier incidents, the court accepted they demonstrated a broader pattern of risky driving behaviour before the fatal collision occurred.

Justice Forrester also referred to letters Bellinge wrote to Ms Pearce’s family and to Mr Usman. While acknowledging his guilty plea, the judge concluded he had not fully accepted responsibility for the consequences of his actions.

Sentence, Parole and Medical Career

Bellinge pleaded guilty to manslaughter and dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm while under the influence of alcohol.

He will become eligible to apply for parole after serving eight years and six months. Because time already spent in custody has been credited, any release would depend on parole approval and could occur in 2033.

The conviction has also had significant professional consequences. Bellinge has been suspended from practising medicine, and the court heard that returning to the medical profession would be extremely difficult even after completing his sentence.

Lasting Impact on the Victims

Outside the courthouse, Elizabeth Pearce’s family spoke about the lasting effect of losing a young woman whose future ended in seconds. They said no prison sentence could restore what had been taken from them.

Muhammad Usman continues to live with serious physical injuries and psychological trauma. He attended the sentencing hearing using a walking cane, highlighting the long-term impact of the crash on his daily life.

The case has become a stark example of how high-range drink driving combined with extreme speed can lead to both devastating personal loss and severe criminal penalties. It also reinforces the legal expectation that motorists remain responsible for decisions made before getting behind the wheel.