A tragic crash in Perth has put the spotlight on the risks of micro-mobility, drink-driving and how jurisdictions handle foreign nationals who commit serious offences while travelling. In August 2025, a British tourist pleaded guilty to a charge of dangerous driving causing death after riding an e-scooter while intoxicated and colliding with a pedestrian in the Western Australian capital. The case has reverberated across Australia and overseas, prompting renewed debate about e-scooter regulation, rider behaviour and public safety.
AP News
ABC
The Incident: What Happened That Night
Timeline of events
On the night of May 31, 2025, about 8:40 p.m., 25-year-old Alicia Kemp — an English traveller in Australia on a working-holiday visa — was riding a hired e-scooter through central Perth accompanied by a passenger. Kemp struck 51-year-old pedestrian Thanh Phan while riding on a footpath, causing Phan to fall and hit his head on the pavement. He was taken to hospital with critical head injuries and later died. Kemp and the passenger sustained injuries that were described in reports as less serious.
AP News
ABC
Intoxication and speed
Police testing established that Kemp was significantly over the legal alcohol limit — reported blood alcohol concentrations in media coverage showed a reading well above the 0.05 legal limit in Western Australia. She was riding at the typical maximum speed allowed for hire e-scooters (about 20–25 km/h) when the collision occurred. Those two factors — intoxication and speed — became central to the prosecution’s case.
AP News
The People Involved
The accused: Alicia Kemp
Kemp is described in court documents and news reports as a 25-year-old from the United Kingdom who had travelled to Australia for work and travel. She appeared in the Perth Magistrates’ Court via video link from custody and pleaded guilty to the upgraded charge of dangerous driving causing death while under the influence of alcohol. After her plea the prosecution dropped a separate charge concerning bodily harm to the scooter’s passenger. Kemp remains remanded in custody pending sentencing.
AP News
The Independent
The victim: Thanh Phan
The man who died, Thanh Phan, was 51. Local reports and family statements describe him as a father, husband and member of the Perth community. Reports note the devastating impact on his family, who have expressed grief and called for better safety measures around e-scooter use. Media outlets have paid tribute to Phan while also covering the legal process surrounding Kemp.
ABC
The Guardian
Legal Charges, Process and Potential Penalties
The charge and what it means
Kemp pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death while under the influence — a serious criminal offence in Western Australia. Under WA law, dangerous driving causing death is an indictable offence that can result in lengthy imprisonment depending on aggravating or mitigating circumstances. The maximum statutory penalty reported in coverage is up to 20 years in prison, though actual sentences reflect case-specific factors including culpability, remorse, prior record, and consequences for victims’ families.
AP News
Bail, custody and court scheduling
Given Kemp’s status as a foreign national, prosecutors argued there was a risk of flight if bail were granted; the court denied bail and remanded her in custody. Her case was moved from the Magistrates’ Court to the District Court for sentencing arrangements, and media reports show dates set for further hearings and sentencing later in the year. The denial of bail and remand are common in serious cases where the defendant is not a local resident and faces a substantial maximum sentence.
Yahoo News Australia
News.com.au
Evidence and Prosecution Focus
Forensic and witness evidence
Police investigators reconstructed the scene and relied on CCTV images, eye-witness accounts, the condition of the victim and rider injuries, and toxicology results. Prosecutors focused on (1) the defendant’s intoxication at the time of the collision, (2) the fact that she was carrying a passenger on a hire e-scooter — an action prohibited by hire companies and local rules — and (3) the location (a footpath with pedestrians) and speed of travel. Those combined elements formed the basis for the dangerous-driving charge.
ABC
Defence posture
Following Kemp’s guilty plea, defence submissions have emphasised remorse, her status as a young traveller thrown into a foreign legal system, and other mitigation factors commonly raised in sentencing (such as lack of prior serious offending, expressions of regret, and willingness to accept responsibility). Her legal team described her as worried and anxious about being a foreigner in custody. Ultimately, sentencing will weigh those factors against the seriousness of the offence and the loss suffered by the victim’s family.
AP News
ABC
Human Impact: Families, Community and Public Reaction
Family statements and community grief
Local coverage documents the profound grief of Mr Phan’s family and friends. News stories carried tributes that described him as a beloved father and respected community member. The family has urged authorities to ensure accountability and to reconsider how e-scooter safety is managed in public spaces. Community reactions included shock and calls for greater protections for pedestrians.
ABC
The Guardian
Public debate and anger
The incident ignited public debate over multiple fronts: riders who drink and then use shared micro-mobility devices; hire company practices around late-night hires and carrying passengers; and whether footpaths should be off-limits for e-scooters or have stricter enforcement. Social media and local opinion pages reflected a mix of sympathy for the victim, anger at reckless riders, and concern for the many visitors who use hire e-scooters responsibly.
News.com.au
ABC
Policy and Safety Implications
Immediate policy responses
In the immediate aftermath of the crash, Perth authorities and some local councils suspended e-scooter hire services while reviewing safety protocols. Officials also called for a formal inquiry into e-vehicle regulation, covering helmet requirements, enforcement of alcohol rules, safe operating zones, speed limits, and rental operator controls. The move to pause hire operations followed public pressure and reflected caution while authorities assess risk.
AP News
News.com.au
Broader regulatory context
This crash is part of a broader global conversation about how to integrate e-scooters safely into urban transport systems. Cities around the world have responded to rising incidents in different ways: some implemented strict rules or limited speed/geofencing, others imposed bans on rental schemes, and some have created designated lanes and clearer enforcement practices. Melbourne and Paris, for example, have seen significant restrictions or partial bans in recent years amid concerns about pedestrian safety and unregulated rider behaviour. Australian policymakers will likely compare international approaches as they consider reforms.
AP News
The Guardian
What changes could help?
Policy experts and safety advocates frequently recommend a mix of engineering, enforcement and education: clearer rules about where e-scooters can be ridden, mandatory helmet laws or better helmet access for rentals, lower night-time rental windows for hire fleets, improved lighting and visibility requirements, in-app prompts about intoxication, and stronger enforcement of prohibitions on passengers. Improved public information campaigns aimed at both locals and visitors could also reduce risky behaviours.
News.com.au
Medical and Trauma Perspective
Injuries linked to e-scooter incidents
Hospitals in Perth reported mounting numbers of serious injuries tied to e-scooter incidents. Emergency and trauma specialists say head injuries are among the most dangerous outcomes and that helmet non-use or high-impact collisions with fixed surfaces (like pavements) can be fatal. Royal Perth Hospital’s trauma unit, for example, has seen regular e-scooter cases and highlighted concerns about the severity of injuries at relatively low speeds when riders or pedestrians are unprotected.
News.com.au
The risk even at ‘low’ speeds
It’s a common misconception that speeds of 20–25 km/h are always low-risk. While they are modest compared with motor vehicles, they are fast enough to cause serious head injuries on impact, particularly for an unprotected pedestrian whose head strikes a hard surface. The collision dynamics — rider momentum, point of impact, and the victim’s vulnerability — can turn a routine footpath encounter into a fatal incident. Medical professionals therefore warn that strict controls and protective measures remain essential.
AP News
News.com.au
International Comparisons and Lessons
How other cities responded
Internationally, cities have taken divergent approaches. Some have instituted geofencing and speed caps in pedestrian zones; others have banned or heavily regulated rental programs. Paris and Melbourne — both referenced in coverage of the Perth case — have implemented strong restrictions after accumulating a history of incidents. These contrasting approaches underline that there’s no one-size-fits-all policy; local factors like city layout, pedestrian density and enforcement capability matter a great deal.
AP News
The Guardian
The role of operators
Hire operators must balance commercial interests with public safety. Industry practices that could reduce harm include disabling late-night hires, identity checks, in-app safety messaging (including warnings against intoxicated riding), and automatic speed reductions in busy zones. Operator cooperation with policymakers has been essential in cities that managed to reduce incidents — but critics argue voluntary measures alone are insufficient without robust regulation and enforcement.
News.com.au
What Comes Next in the Case
Sentencing and legal outcomes
With Kemp’s guilty plea entered, the matter has moved toward sentencing. Courts will consider aggravating and mitigating factors: high blood alcohol, carrying a passenger, the choice of footpath riding and the devastating loss of life are likely aggravating; expressions of remorse and lack of a prior criminal record may be mitigating. Sentencing precedents for similar offences and the statutory maximums will frame judicial discretion. Kemp faces the prospect of a substantial custodial sentence.
AP News
ABC
Broader fallout
Beyond the individual case, the legal outcome will likely shape public policy debate in WA and may influence how other Australian states and territories manage e-scooters. Regulatory inquiries already announced will consider operator controls, physical separation of rider and pedestrian spaces, and enforcement mechanisms to prevent intoxicated riding. The case will remain a touchstone in discussions around micro-mobility safety.
News.com.au
ABC
Conclusion
The death of Thanh Phan and the subsequent guilty plea by Alicia Kemp is a painful reminder of how quickly an evening out can turn into a life-ending tragedy. The case brings into sharp relief the interplay between individual responsibility (not riding while intoxicated, not carrying passengers), operator responsibility (safer hire practices), and government responsibility (clear rules, enforcement and infrastructure). As Western Australia considers reforms and as the courts prepare to impose sentence, communities will be watching for justice for the family and meaningful steps to prevent future tragedies. The outcome will likely reverberate beyond Perth — influencing how cities everywhere govern the integration of e-scooters into public life.
AP News
ABC
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Who pleaded guilty and to what charge?
A 25-year-old British tourist, Alicia Kemp, pleaded guilty in a Western Australian court to dangerous driving causing death while under the influence of alcohol after riding an e-scooter and fatally striking 51-year-old pedestrian Thanh Phan on May 31, 2025.
AP News
ABC - When and where did the crash occur?
The collision occurred on May 31, 2025, on a footpath in central Perth at about 8:40 p.m. The victim later died from head injuries sustained in the impact.
ABC
News.com.au - What penalties could the accused face?
Dangerous driving causing death is a serious offence in Western Australia with a maximum sentence reported as up to 20 years’ imprisonment; the precise sentence will be determined by the court based on case details and statutory guidelines.
AP News - Did this incident lead to policy changes?
Yes. Local authorities suspended some e-scooter hire services while launching inquiries and reviews into e-vehicle safety, operator practices and enforcement measures to reduce future harm to pedestrians and riders.
News.com.au
AP News - What safety measures are being discussed to prevent similar tragedies?
Policymakers and safety advocates have discussed measures such as stricter enforcement of intoxication rules, limits on late-night rentals, speed caps and geofencing, mandatory helmet policies or improved helmet access for hires, public education campaigns, and better physical separation between riders and pedestrians.
News.com.au