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'Drunk and drugged' learner driver to spend three years behind bars over crash that killed Cooper Ratten

A drunk and drugged learner driver who crashed a car at high speed in Victoria, will spend at least three years in jail, over the crash that killed Cooper Ratten.

The crash at Yarra Glenn, north-east of Melbourne, killed the teenage son of AFL great Brett Ratten.

The driver, who was 17 at the time, is likely to serve his time in youth detention.

Teen pleads guilty over crash that killed AFL great's son.

Cooper Ratten was thrown 65m from the car during the crash which led to his tragic death.
Cooper Ratten was thrown 65m from the car during the crash which led to his tragic death.

Driving in heavy fog, the teen who cannot be named, was drunk, high on ecstasy, speeding and inexperienced on the road.

Not a single aspect of the teen’s behaviour was cited as causing the death of 16-year-old Cooper, however the combination proved to be catastrophic.

Cooper Ratten stood little chance when the stolen Volkswagen lost control, crashing and flipping several times in August 2015.

Cooper was not wearing a seat belt at the time. He was thrown 65 metres from the car, to his death.

Cooper was thrown from the stolen Volkswagen during the high speed crash.
Cooper was thrown from the stolen Volkswagen during the high speed crash.

When the teen driver was sentenced on Friday, the judge referred to the tragic loss of a young life.

“A decent, talented, much loved young man with his adult life ahead of him has needlessly been killed,” the magistrate said.

“Family and friends have been left broken hearted, their lives will never be quite the same again.”

The driver was sentenced to five years jail with a non-parole period of three years.

The driver responsible for Cooper Ratten's death has been jailed.
The driver responsible for Cooper Ratten's death has been jailed.


Several members of Cooper’s family, and his girlfriend, were in court.

AFL Coach Brett Ratten was comforted at training on Friday morning, as his son’s killer heard his fate.

Hawthorn Coach Alastair Clarkson told 7 News his friend was going to be OK.

“We’d rather keep all that stuff private, rather than making it public,” he said.

The magistrate recommended that the driver’s sentence be served in youth detention, rather than an adult prison.