Prosecutors have blamed a Tasmanian harness racing company’s failure to ensure adequate rest breaks for a crash that seriously injured workers and killed four horses.

Ben Yole Racing Pty Ltd is facing trial in the Launceston Magistrates Court on charges including two counts of failing to comply with a health and safety duty (Category 2) and two counts of failing to comply with a health and safety duty (Category 3). The company has pleaded not guilty.

The charges stem from a crash near Sidmouth in January 2023, when five young employees aged between 14 and 20 were driving back from a race day in Hobart. The company has already pleaded guilty to failing to notify of a notifiable incident.

After an evening of races at Elwick Racecourse on January 29, 2023, casual employee Lily Blundstone was driving a Ford Ranger with four passengers while towing a horse float back to the company’s stables. In the early hours of January 30, Ms Blundstone dozed off on a curve on the Batman Highway at Rowella.

The car crashed into a tree, seriously injuring several workers and killing four horses, two instantly and two later euthanised.

Prosecutors argue the company failed in its health and safety duties by not ensuring employees had regular breaks and adequate rest before driving. They also allege Ben Yole Racing failed to ensure the brakes on the vehicle and horse float were properly maintained, and that the ute was towing more than the recommended 750 kilograms.

The first prosecution witness, Ms Blundstone, told the court she was given no instructions about breaks on a typical race day. She testified she arrived at the Sidmouth stables at 7.30am and had only an approximate 15-minute break around 3.45pm before leaving Hobart after the last race finished just before 10pm.

Ms Blundstone said her passengers fell asleep during the drive but she did not feel tired. She remembered driving past the Batman Bridge but must have dozed off while going around a corner. She tried to correct the vehicle but said there was nothing she could do.

Defence lawyer Damien Sheales argued Ms Blundstone had been employed solely to drive to and from the races with no expectation of other work. He said passengers were not properly wearing seatbelts and it was the driver’s responsibility to ensure road rules were followed.

“It was her obligation that she was fit to drive. Whether she chose to help others gear up is not to the point,” Mr Sheales said.

The hearing before Deputy Chief Magistrate Ken Stanton is expected to hear from several other witnesses including Ben Yole Racing employees, a WorkSafe investigator and a fatigue expert.

Ms Blundstone previously pleaded guilty to two counts of causing grievous bodily harm by negligent driving and received a wholly suspended ten-week jail sentence.