Dan and Catherine Andrews face fresh legal threat following car crash that injured a 15-year-old boy: ‘No more lies’
- Dan Andrews served with legal notice
- Crash victim's dad says 'no more lies'
- READ MORE: Hear the first triple-0 call from the Meuleman crash
Former Victorian premier Dan Andrews and his wife Catherine face a potential civil lawsuit over claims they 'lied' about a 2013 car crash that badly injured a 15-year-old cyclist.
The family of Ryan Meuleman, who lost 90 per cent of his spleen as a result of the crash involving the Andrews' vehicle in the Victorian southern coastal town of Blairgowie, have issued a legal notice to the couple.
Ryan's father Peter Meuleman accuses the couple of not telling the truth and has demanded they aplogise and offer compensation within 28 days or he will sue them for defamation in the Federal Court.
'No more lies,' Ryan's father Peter Meuleman told the Herald Sun.
'Daniel and Catherine Andrews can either finally tell the truth now, and apologise to Ryan, or we can let a Federal Court judge decide.'
The Meulemans are demanding the Andrews withdraw comments they made in September over a review of the crash conducted by former Victorian Assistant Commissioner for Traffic and Operations Raymond Shuey.
That report, commissioned by the Meuleman family for a separate legal action against Slater & Gordon, concluded all available evidence pointed to the Andrews hitting Ryan while 'travelling at speed' and on the wrong side of the road.
Ryan, then 15, was left screaming in agony from the crash involving the Andrews and later lost 90 per cent of his spleen as a result
Dr Shuey, who was a renowned expert on road satefy, concluded the police investigation that supported the Andrews' version of events, was 'deeply flawed', 'unfounded' and 'contrary to the available evidence'.
In response the Andrews released a statement that said: 'This so-called report was commissioned by lawyers on behalf of their clients who are seeking money through the courts by suing their former lawyers. We did nothing wrong.
'This matter has already been comprehensively and independently investigated and closed by Victoria Police and integrity agencies. We will not dignify these appalling conspiracy theories by commenting further at this time.'
The Andrews largely repeated these statements in November after audio of the then Labor opposition leader's triple-0 call from the scene of the crash was released and he is heard telling an emergency services operator 'we've hit him (Ryan)'.
Former Victorian premier Dan Andrews and his wife Catherine face potential legal action over claims they 'lied' about a devastating 2013 car crash involving a 15-year-old cyclist
Mr and Mrs Andrews claimed the audio: 'confirms the previous statements we've made on this matter. The cyclist came flying through from the bike path at Ridley St and T-boned our car at speed.
'This matter has been comprehensively investigated over many years by Victoria Police Professional Standards Command and IBAC.
'Furthermore, the cyclist's current legal proceedings have nothing to do with us. We are not a party to them. While we are sorry that the cyclist was injured in the accident, we did nothing wrong.'
Mr Meuleman said the evidence would show claims about proper investigations being conducted by Victoria Police Professional Standards Command or IBAC were false.
'Ryan has suffered terribly because of what Daniel and Catherine Andrews did to him that day and because of the lies they've told since,' Mr Meuleman said.
'He didn't die that day, thank God … but a part of him did. The crash was so traumatic for him and the ongoing lies have been just as bad.'
The defamation claim is separate to a Supreme Court case that the Meuleman family have brought against Labor-linked law firm Slater & Gordon.
Ryan's day Peter Meuleman (pictured) has accused the Andrews of 'lying' about the circumstances of the crash
The Andrews have engaged high-profile lawyer Leon Zwier to represent them.
In their police statement and subsequent media answers the Andrews have always insisted they were driving their taxpayer-funded Ford Territory slowly down Ridley Street when they were 'T-boned' by Ryan moving at speed.
However, Dr Shuey's report, commissioned by the Meuleman family for their legal action against Slater & Gordon, concluded all available evidence pointed to the Andrews' hitting Ryan 'travelling at speed' and on the wrong side of the road.
Dr Shuey also listed numerous deficiencies in the way Victoria Police handled the case.
These included failing to perform a breath test, failure to properly document the crash scene and failure to take statements from anyone other than the Andrews despite there being a number of people at the scenet.
Previously Victoria Police have refused to reopen the case or answer questions arising out of Dr Shuey report.
'As has been previously stated, Victoria Police conducted a thorough investigation into this matter, as did (Victorian corruption watchdog) IBAC, and all findings were consistent,' a police spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.
'We have no further comment to provide on the matter.'
The Andrews have always maintained Catherine was behind the wheel at the time of the crash, although Dr Shuey reported the driver of the car behind said otherwise.
'Witness Jane Crittenden states she viewed Catherine Andrews in the passenger seat after the crash,' his report states.
'In my opinion, this investigative failure is a deliberate omission. It … leaves the question of who was driving unresolved and in dispute.
She was not breath-tested with the attending officer stating this did not happen because 'she did not smell of alcohol'.
Mr Andrews was also allowed to drive the damaged SUV away from the scene during the crash investigation.
The Meuleman case against Slater & Gordon, is scheduled to go to trial in May.
