A young girl has described wishing she had died instead of suffering a crippling foot injury, as a truck driver faced court for ploughing into her school bus.

"I am very glad I'm alive, but then none of my pain, or my suffering would be here," the girl, who cannot be identified, told a Melbourne court between tears.

"I'm so tired of it and I wish I had died."

The truck driver who caused her debilitating injuries did not face the girl, nor any of his 35 victims in court today, at a County Court pre-sentence hearing.

Brett Michael Russell , 63, appeared by video link from prison, crossing his arms and appearing emotionless as he pleaded guilty to 12 charges including negligently causing serious injury.

He was driving a prime mover truck towing two trailers - all of which had de

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