Kenneth John Roberts wept as he was sentenced to 12 months jail over the March 2015 death of a Booyong woman on Bangalow Road at Howards Grass.
The 44-year-old Casino man appeared in Lismore District Court last Friday, August 18, when guilty pleas were confirmed to charges stemming from the collision between his Nissan Navara and a Hyundai I30 Virginia Hanlon was a front seat passenger in.
Officers from the Far North Coast Crash Investigation Unit examined the scene of the fateful March 13 incident that claimed Ms Hanlon’s life.
Following the investigation, Mr Roberts was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death – drive manner dangerous, negligent driving occasioning death, exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 km/h and not keeping left of the dividing line.
After leaving home at 4.45 am that morning and driving to Stapylton, north of the Gold Coast, Mr Roberts attended an 8.45 am job interview and drove straight back home suffering a headache, the agreed statement of facts said.
Mr Roberts stopped for 20 minutes rest at Chinderah after purchasing and taking two panadol for his headache.
He continued driving home and on Bangalow Road a motorist following Mr Roberts in his blue Nissan Navara near Clunes told police he was veering to one side of the road then correcting himself and speeding up and slowing down.
As he rounded the end of a long bend just east of Howards Grass Road, court documents stated Mr Robert’s Nissan crossed the centre lines and collided with the Hyundai, which had swerved to avoid him.
Both Mr Roberts and the driver of the Hyundai were able to free themselves from the wreckage and were treated at the scene before being taken to Lismore Base Hospital with minor injuries.
When the collision occurred, roadworks were underway on Bangalow Road and the speed limit had been reduced to 60 km/h.
The statement of facts about the case revealed during the crash investigation, police calculated Mr Robert’s Nissan was travelling between 72 km/h and 80 km/h in the 60 km/h zone.
Judge Laura Wells adjourned Mr Robert’s matters for sentencing until Tuesday, August 22, when he sat in the dock with his head down, clearly emotional.
In sentencing Mr Roberts, Judge Wells said he had made substantial progress rehabilitating his lifestyle and managing his fragile psychological state.
Despite finding special circumstances in Mr Robert’s case and considering him unlikely to reoffend, Judge Wells said a period of full time custody was necessary as nothing could negate the impact of his actions and their result on Mrs Hanlon’s family and friends.
Mr Roberts was sentenced to a non-parole period of 12 months and was disqualified from driving for three years.
He will be eligible for release on August 22, 2017 and is disqualified from driving until August 22, 2020.
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