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Drunk driver jailed for 4 ½ years

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Tue, 22 Feb 2011 5:19a.m. LATEST 10:40AM

Kyle Richard James in court last year (file)

Kyle Richard James in court last year (file)

The drunk driver accused of killing a woman as she picnicked on the roadside has been sentenced to four and half years jail, and disqualified from driving for three years after his release.

Kyle Richard James, 37, was three times over the legal blood alcohol limit when the Subaru he was driving mounted a grass verge and hit the stationary vehicle Shelagh Cotter was sitting in.

Ms Cotter was sitting in the driver’s seat of her car, with her feet outside the vehicle. Her 62-year-old friend Marilyn Jeffery was sitting on the grass just before the crash.

Mrs Jeffery suffered cuts to her face, bruises and a cracked sternum. Ms Cotter was killed.

James appeared in Palmerston North High Court today, where his sentence was read along with tearful victim impact statements.

The Upper Hutt man pleaded guilty to one charge of manslaughter and one of causing bodily injury while drunk in the Levin District Court on December 15.

Don Jeffery, husband of Marilyn Jeffery said outside the court following James’ guilty plea: "I think it's the best possible outcome for now.

Mr Jeffery said the crash should highlight the danger of drink driving.

"Don't get out there and drink drive, it's like Russian roulette. It's not safe for the rest of us either."

Mr Jeffery said it was good to see James in court "to have someone to project our anger towards. I still do hate him."

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Comments

23 Feb 2011 08:32p.m.

Supertom wrote:

Hey MeMouse, maybe sort your info for accuracy, she was in prison for over 1 yr...go figure

22 Feb 2011 08:50p.m.

Sufferer wrote:

Our sentencing system is a joke.My dear wife was killed, my daughter and myself were seriously injured and the offender got only 3 years and 3 months!He was not only drunk, he also had had cannabis.His accomplice who drank with him and did nothing to stop him was not even charged!why?
Is it because of the colour of my skin or is it because our system is half blind or impotant???

I empathise with every victim and I appeal to the so called judiciary to actually start THINKING.

22 Feb 2011 05:36p.m.

Nichola wrote:

I agree with Kathleen & Stevo. Isn't drink driving an intension to hurt others. Just like premeditated murder, because you know that your drinking? 4.5 years? What is that. A family has lost a loved one for more then 4.5 years. Why not maximum. Life for a life. There is no such thing as mistake when you drink drive. Everyone knows why you don't drink drive.

22 Feb 2011 12:28p.m.

McMouse wrote:

It's still a poor conviction for taking a life, if he had broken into her home and stolen from her he would have got more. However, it is better than Alison Downer, drunk killer of cyclist Frank Van Kampen, also in Te Horo, after her 4th conviction she got 2years - but out in 9 months - did not even spend a Christmas away from her family.

22 Feb 2011 12:01p.m.

Kathleen Reece wrote:

4.5 years with no parole conditions and no reperation!!! He will be out in 18months what a joke for killing my mother!!!

22 Feb 2011 11:29a.m.

Stevo wrote:

It's interesting how someone can get no jail time for poor driving resulting in the deaths of three cyclists in one go, and yet this guy gets 4 1/2 years for the mistake of driving drunk and killing someone. Not only is our so called justice sytem weak in dishing out punishment, there is no consistancy either.