A British tourist entered a guilty plea in an Australian court concerning a fatal collision where she operated an e-scooter under the influence of alcohol, according to AP News.
Alicia Kemp, aged 25, admitted to the charge of dangerous driving occasioning death while impaired by alcohol during proceedings at the Western Australia Magistrate’s Court on Monday, as confirmed by officials.
The tragic event unfolded in Perth on 31 May. Australian news reports detail that Kemp was riding an e-scooter with a passenger aboard when she collided with 51-year-old Thanh Phan.
The impact caused Phan to strike his head on the pavement. He subsequently succumbed to his injuries in hospital. Kemp and her passenger sustained only minor physical harm.
Kemp, understood to be visiting Western Australia from Britain on a working holiday visa according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp, had previously been refused bail. She appeared for this hearing via video link from custody. During this appearance, an additional charge relating to harm caused to the e-scooter passenger was formally dropped.
Prosecutors had earlier informed the court that investigators calculated Kemp’s speed at the time of the crash to be approximately 20 to 25 kph (12 to 16 mph), aligning with the top speed permitted for rental e-scooters.
Kemp will remain in detention until her next scheduled court date on 31 October, when a timetable for her sentencing hearing will be established. The offence to which she pleaded guilty carries a potential maximum custodial sentence of 20 years.
In the aftermath of Phan’s death, which marked the fifth fatality involving e-vehicles within the state during 2025, Perth authorities suspended the city’s e-scooter rental scheme. Concurrently, the Western Australian government initiated a formal inquiry into the safety and regulation of such vehicles.
