The parents of a man who was deliberately run down and left to die have won a court order to be compensated by their son's murderer.
Michael Meakin was sentenced to a maximum of 24 years' jail for mowing down 30-year-old Nicholas McEvoy at Glendenning, in Sydney's west in February 2014.
A jury found Meakin deliberately drove his van at McEvoy after consuming an estimated 21 schooners of beer and arguing with him at a pub at nearby Plumpton.
After the trial, McEvoy's parents Marie and Terry sought compensation for funeral expenses and the time off work they took to make statements to police and to attend court.
But because the weapon used in the murder was a car, they had no rights to civil proceedings for compensation.
Instead they asked the court to make an order for compensation under the Victim's Rights and Support Act.
In the NSW Supreme Court today, Justice David Davies found the McEvoys should be compensated $36,000 for their loss.
Justice Davies described Meakin as "the aggressor in the hotel", and that he had "deliberately driven his van at Mr McEvoy and left him to die on the median strip".
Meakin, 48, who appeared by audio-visual link from jail and was unrepresented, had nothing to say about the McEvoy's claim.
However, substantial hurdles remain before the McEvoys can receive any money.
The order will not take effect until Meakin's appeal against his sentence is dealt with.
Meakin has also told the court he has no car or house and earns only $42 a week in prison.
Meakin was given a non-parole period of 18 years in October last year.
He will not be eligible for parole until 2034n when he will be aged in his 60s.
