Even when they didn't make sense, Sam Conway told lies about the head-on crash that killed a NSW Central Coast grandfather.
He'd not been in the car. He had been in it but wasn't driving at the time. He'd bounced into the driver's seat on impact. His possessions were only in the car as part of a plot to frame him.
But on Tuesday, a Sydney judge found beyond reasonable doubt the 28-year-old was behind the wheel when a stolen four-wheel-drive violently smashed into Darren Hill's small hatchback on January 15, 2019.
The force of the crash pushed the grandfather's car back more than 20 metres and also jolted Conway's vehicle.
Mr Hill, who'd swerved in vain about a second before impact, died at the scene on Wyong Road, Tumbi Umbi, as his killer fled on foot.
Conway initially said he'd not been in the car but changed his tune after video of him going through a fast-food drive-through 45 minutes before the crash punched a hole in that story.
Subsequent explanations, including that he had been unable to leave the car and had been framed by the actual driver, were "preposterous", Judge Stephen Norrish said.
In reality, Conway's driving was so careless the crash amounted to manslaughter - with the judge finding him guilty of that charge, failing to stop and assist after an impact causing death and taking a car without the owner's consent.
"It is clear the accused fled the scene without any regard to Mr Hill's welfare," the Downing Centre District Court judge said.
Data in the 4WD's black box showed that it reached 120km/h five seconds before impact, slowing to just under 100km/h over the next three seconds as it rounded the sweeping bend.
It was still going at 73km/h at the time of impact, with the brake pedal applied a second earlier.
The verdicts were met with cheers from Mr Hill's relatives with his wife, children and parents embracing each other as they wiped away tears.
"We always knew he was guilty but when the judge actually gave his verdict, we were all just totally over the moon," father-in-law Dave Connell told reporters outside court.
"To me, he wasn't only my son-in-law he was one of my best mates. We worked together for years, we'd virtually done everything together.
"(He was) a great father, a great husband, a great grandfather - just taken from us at the stupidity of this bloke."
Joe Hill commended his son's "unbelievable" widow, Letitia Connell, for her strength.
"My son married the right girl," he told reporters.
Conway pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and three other driving charges but admitted being in a stolen car.
He was remanded in custody and will be sentenced in February.
Mr Connell said the family hadn't stopped to think what kind of sentence Conway would get "but we're very confident he'll get what he deserves".
He also thanked the Crown and lead detective Jason Wright for their work in helping get "some justice done for Darren".
