Nicola Teo: Dangerous driving charges dropped against surgeon Charlie Teos daughter

Emotions have run high at a Sydney court after serious driving charges laid against the daughter of prominent neurosurgeon Charlie Teo were withdrawn on the day she was set to face trial.

The shock decision prompted a furious response from the daughter of the alleged victim — ex-Comancheros boss William ‘Jock’ Ross — who told reporters her father had “never been the same” after a serious crash.

Nicola Annabel Teo, 26, had pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm for a 2019 head-on crash that seriously injured Mr Ross.

Ms Teo was flanked by her mother and sisters on Tuesday at the Downing Centre District Court, which heard the Director of Public Prosecutions had decided no further proceedings would take place.

There were gasps and tears in the court as Judge Warwick Hunt formally dismissed the proceedings.

“Ms Teo, that means there’s nothing that now holds you and you’re free to go and get on with your life,” Judge Hunt said.

Outside court Ms Teo and her supporters marched past a flock of waiting news cameras without comment.

Her lawyer Darren Emery said the outcome was a “fair decision” and wished Mr Ross a speedy recovery.

Mr Ross had been riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle down Settlers Rd, Lower Macdonald, when Ms Teo’s Toyota LandCruiser collided with him when her car allegedly passed onto the wrong side of the road.

He suffered critical leg and internal injuries and was flown to Westmead Hospital after the incident on September 25, 2019.

Speaking after court on Tuesday, Mr Ross’s distraught daughter Holly Gittany said the family was concerned at the way in which the charges were suddenly dropped.

She told reporters her father was still suffering from the lingering effects of the crash.

Ms Gittany said Mr Ross, now in his late 70s, had been forced to quit his job with the Rural Fire Brigade due to his injuries.

“What happened today was not right,” she said. “My Dad’s never been the same again. My Dad was severely injured. He was hit head-on.”

The trial had been set down for Monday but it was held over for one day after the court heard prosecutors were waiting on a psychiatric report for Ms Teo.

The court heard the main issue at the predicted week-long trial would be “automatism”, or acting without conscious choice.

“The single issue at trial is that of automatism,” the prosecutor said.

Ms Teo had also been charged with a back-up offence of negligent driving occasioning grievous bodily harm, not keeping left of a dividing line and not giving particulars to police.

In a brief statement the officer of the Director of Public Prosecutions would not elaborate on the decision to drop the case.

“This matter was withdrawn in the District Court this morning. The Office has no further comment,” the statement said.

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