A man who walked scot-free after killing five people in a horror beer garden crash has been found living near the former home of mushroom killer Erin Patterson.
Daily Mail tracked down real estate tycoon Bill Swale in Korumburra, in Victoria’s east, where he now resides, close to Patterson’s home in nearby Leongatha.
Korumburra is itself forever linked to the mushroom murders as the hometown of lone survivor Ian Wilkinson and Patterson’s estranged husband Simon.
Swale was charged by police after he ploughed his BMW SUV into pub goers sitting outside the Royal Daylesford Hotel after he suffered a diabetic episode.
Pratibha Sharma, 44, her daughter Anvi, 9, partner Jatin Kumar, 30, their friend Vivek Bhatia, 38, and his son Vihaan, 11, all died in the horrific November 2023 tragedy.
Swale faced court on five counts of culpable driving causing death, two counts of negligently causing serious injury and seven counts of reckless conduct endangering life.
But the case was thrown out last year after a magistrate found the evidence was weak, with only a minimal chance of conviction.
Swale was represented by top Melbourne barrister Dermot Dann, KC, who is reputed to be one of the best criminal defence lawyers in the country.
Bill Swale has moved to Korumburra – near the former home of mushroom killer Erin Patterson and current home of her victims Ian Wilkinson and estranged husband Simon
Bill Swale’s BMW SUV after he ran down and killed five people in Daylesford in 2023
But Swale returned to the spotlight when it emerged he was refusing to co-operate with a coronial investigation into the tragedy he caused.
With the criminal case done and dusted, the Coroners Court of Victoria resumed its investigation and revealed it will hold a two-week inquest in March next year.
Counsel Assisting the Coroner, Rishi Nathwani KC, said statements had been sought from more than 60 witnesses, including bystanders, police and medical experts.
But he revealed Swale has steadfastly refused to co-operate.
‘To date, he has exercised his right not to provide a statement,’ Mr Nathwani said.
Confronted by the Daily Mail on Wednesday, Swale refused to offer any explanation to the victims’ families about why he is not helping the coroner.
‘Go away,’ he said as he scurried across the road to a nearby pharmacist.
Swale dismissed all further questions about the concerns of his victims’ families and turned his back as he tried to avoid the issue.
He also refused to offer an explanation why he had moved 200km from his old home in Mount Macedon, north-west of Melbourne, to Korumburra in the state’s south-east
Daylesford pub tragedy victims Pratibha Sharma her daughter Anvi and her partner Jatin
People embrace as workers washed the blood off grass and the footpath near the beer garden
A preliminary court hearing last year heard Swale allegedly knew the risks of hypoglycaemia, including the loss of driving ability.
At 6.07pm, he was behind the wheel of the BMW when he drove into the families seated at picnic tables outside the pub.
Data from his blood monitoring device showed his blood-glucose levels dropped from 7.2 millimoles per litre – within the normal range – to 2.9 mmol in a 20-minute window about an hour before the crash.
After the second reading, Swale allegedly received the first of 10 phone alerts at 5.18pm that his blood-glucose levels were low.
At 5.22pm, he went into Winespeake Cellar + Deli but left immediately because no tables were available.
In a police interview two days later, he refused to answer important questions.
The court heard he had attended a shooting competition that weekend in Clunes, in Victoria’s west.
Two diabetes experts agreed at the hearing that Swale was likely in a severe hypoglycaemic state when he resumed driving at 5.36pm, meaning his actions were not voluntary.
Bill Swale had nothing to say for himself when confronted by the Daily Mail on Wednesday
Mourners lay flowers at the crash site the day after the tragedy
Magistrate Guillaume Bailin discharged the case after finding the evidence was weak and unlikely to lead to a conviction.
Mr Bhatia’s uncle and Vihaan’s great-uncle Mukesh Bhatia told the Herald Sun Swale’s refusal to assist with the inquest was ‘shameful’.
He said Swale should be compelled to provide a statement to the coroner.
‘He spoiled the lives of three families and he is enjoying living at home freely … he never even called the victims’ families … it is really shocking that Swale is not cooperating,’ Mr Bhatia said.
‘To have the driver not cooperating with the court … it’s shameful.’
