Arabic version: منح المتهم في حادث نيوكاسل إفراجاً بكفالة

According to ABC News, Indika Bambrick Samarasinghe, 18, has been granted bail after a review hearing in Newcastle Local Court. The P-plater is accused of driving a car that hit and injured 10 Newcastle Knights fans at Wallsend on grand final weekend.

Mr Samarasinghe appeared by audiovisual link after his lawyers lodged a bail review application earlier in the week. He had spent six nights in custody after not applying for bail at his first court appearance on October 4, when bail was formally refused.

He faces nine charges: three counts each of dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, and causing bodily harm by misconduct. The court heard he was seen driving erratically before the crash.

Thousands of fans had lined Wallsend streets to wave the Knights off to their first NRL grand final in 25 years when a car crashed into the crowd at a Link Road roundabout. Ten people were hospitalised, and two victims, including a 5-year-old girl, were in a critical condition at the time.

Hunter New England Health said the conditions of all 10 patients had improved, with three remaining in care in a stable condition. Mr Samarasinghe is due to return to court at the end of the month, as calls continue for a state-led trauma response for potential witnesses.