A man who was driving at speed while under the influence of drugs when his car crashed between Dubbo and Wellington, killing his girlfriend, has been sentenced to four years and nine months in jail.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Scott Allan Thompson, 36, reached speeds in excess of 120km/h on a rainy night in July 2015 after seeing a police car flash its warning lights.
Shortly after the Wellington man’s car left the road and hit a pole.
Passenger Brooke Carroll, 19, described in statements to Dubbo District Court as having “a beautiful heart”, sustained multiple injuries and lost her life.
On Wednesday Judge John North sentenced Thompson to a maximum term of four years and nine months in jail, with a non-parole period of three years and seven months.
He also convicted Thompson of supply of a prohibited drug on the night of the crash and sentenced him to a fixed jail term of 15 months.
A bag with 20.6 grams of methylamphetamine or ice at 75.5 per cent purity had been found on Thompson at the crash scene.
Family members of both the offender and Ms Carroll were in court.
The offender had earlier pleaded guilty to aggravated dangerous driving occasioning death, not stopping in a police pursuit and related driving charges, and to supplying the prohibited drug methylamphetamine.
On July 15, 2015 Thompson was making a round trip from Wellington to Dubbo.
The offender said he had travelled to Dubbo to buy a vehicle and to purchase methylamphetamine, according to agreed facts.
Prior to and at the time of the impact there was heavy rain in the area and the road was wet.
Judge North noted in victim impact statements from Ms Carroll’s family, she had been described as having “a beautiful heart” and as being “gentle, kind, generous”.
Rowena Ritchie, Ms Carroll’s mother, said in a statement read by Judge North, that she was “completely broken, unfixable” by her daughter’s death.
Judge North said Thompson’s record disentitled him to leniency.
Analysis of blood samples taken from Thompson showed the presence of amphetamine, methylamphetamine and other drugs.
Dr Perl, clinical forensic pharmacologist, found the offender was under the influence of methylamphetamine to the extent there would have been a ‘very substantial impairment’ of his driving ability, the facts show.
Judge North said he accepted due to Thompson’s drug use his driving ability was substantially impaired.
The judge said in his view “an abandonment of responsibility has occasioned in this case”. He noted the early guilty pleas and allowed the full discount on sentence.
The court heard Thompson had first used ice aged 20 and had gone to a rehabilitation facility when aged about 30 but his alcohol and drug use continued.
Thompson will be eligible for release to parole in August 2020 with the total sentence expiring in October 2021.
