Marina Hanna and Robbie Awad had been married for little more than a week when she was killed in a fatal golf buggy crash on their honeymoon earlier this year
The husband of a young newlywed who was killed in an alleged golf buggy accident during their Hamilton Island honeymoon has pleaded not guilty to charges over her death.
But Robbie Awad, aka Robbie Morgan, was a no-show in court during what was meant to be his first scheduled appearance over wife Marina’s death, drawing a rebuke from the magistrate presiding over the case.
Marina Hanna, 29, married Mr Awad, in a large church ceremony in Sydney on June 11, before heading north to Queensland’s Whitsundays two days later.
During their luxury trip, Mr Awad, 30, was driving the electric buggy with his new wife in the passenger seat, in June this year, when it toppled over.
Ms Hanna suffered critical injuries and died at the scene.
After a police investigation, Mr Awad was charged with driving without due care and attention causing death, seatbelt offences and using a mobile phone.
The pair were married at St Mary & St Merkorious Coptic Orthodox Church in Rhodes, in Sydney’s north-west, on June 11. Tragically, Ms Hanna was laid to rest when a funeral service was held at the same church weeks later
Robbie Awad (front left, in a white shirt and glasses) is pictured standing at the gravesite as Ms Hanna’s coffin was lowered into the ground at her funeral in July
Mr Awad was not present in Proserpine court in the Whitsundays for the first mention of the matter, sparking an outburst from Magistrate James Morton, the ABC reported.
‘Where is your client? Why is he not appearing to put a not guilty plea on the record?’ he asked lawyer Sam Wildermuth.
Mr Wildermuth said there were ‘logistical issues’ for Mr Awad, who is based in Sydney. The court then adjourned to allow Mr Awad to appear by phone.
He formally entered a plea of not guilty to the charge of driving without due care and attention causing death.
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No pleas were entered for charges of failing to wear a seatbelt, ensuring his passenger was wearing a seatbelt and using a mobile phone, with those matters set to return to court in February.
Marina Hanna, 29, tragically died on her honeymoon in Hamilton Island. The day before she died, she took this photo of her with her husband Robbie on a helicopter ride
Ms Hanna was remembered as a ‘caring, loyal, kind-hearted spirit’ at her funeral (pictured, her husband embracing mourners at the cemetery)
The pair were married at St Mary & St Merkorious Coptic Orthodox Church in Rhodes, in Sydney’s north-west, on June 11, which was just 10 days before the tragedy.
Then in early July, hundreds of mourners packed into the same church for Ms Hanna’s funeral.
At the funeral, her brother Mark Hanna told the crowd how he would forever miss his ‘kind-hearted sister’.
‘There are no words that come close to the ache that we feel in our hearts today,’ he said, fighting back the tears, ‘It looks like the heavens are weeping as well.
‘Marina was a sweet, young, independent woman who was loved by everyone who knew her.
‘She was beautiful inside and out, loved to laugh, and always had a positive outlook on life.
After the alleged accident, bystanders including an off-duty firefighter, dentist and doctor, tried for 35 minutes to save her life, but the young woman was in cardiac arrest.
A helicopter was originally called from nearby Townsville to take her to hospital, but was stood down when experts realised the severity of her injuries.
Awad remains on bail.
