Driver who killed son, partner in ice-fuelled crash wants less jail time

Ice-fuelled driver who caused a crash that killed her young son and partner on a Queensland highway says nine-year jail sentence is too high.

BEHIND BARS: Connie-Lee Williams will have to serve 80 per cent of her nine-year jail sentence for killing her son and her partner in a crash near Gin Gin while she was high on meth.

A DRIVER who killed her partner and five-year-old son when she ploughed into a tree at speed while high on ice has asked to have her jail term reduced.

Connie-Lee Rose Williams, 34, was going at least 170km/h when she lost control on a sweeping corner of the Bruce Highway at Kolonga, north of Gin Gin, causing her young son and 41-year-old partner to be thrown from the car in September 2017.

The Mount Morgan woman had to be pulled from the mangled wreckage and suffered a broken ankle along with back and stomach injuries.

 

Connie-Lee Rose Williams Kolomga fatal crash 2017.

Williams was sentenced to nine years' jail after pleading guilty to dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death while speeding and affected by drugs.

But on Wednesday, Williams took her sentence to the Queensland Court of Appeal, arguing the jail term was too long and she should be eligible for parole as early as March 2023.

Defence barrister Deborah Holliday said in the wake of the crash Williams had suffered post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression.

Ms Holliday said Williams' parole eligibility date should be brought forward because she had no criminal history and had pleaded guilty early on.

She asked that her serious violent offence declaration - requiring offenders to serve at least 80 per cent of their sentence behind bars - be set aside.

But Crown prosecutor Jeffrey Finch told the court Williams' sentence was not unjust and it was lucky more people weren't injured or killed by her dangerous driving.

"There were nine vehicles either passed or who were present in oncoming traffic who … were put at substantial risk by (Williams)," Mr Finch said.

"It's really more good luck than good management that this was a single-vehicle accident and not a multi-vehicle accident."

Mr Finch told three Court of Appeal justices the incident was one of the worst cases of its kind.

He said Williams' speed, reckless driving and decision to drive while affected by ice were all reasons why the sentence should be upheld.

Chief Justice Walter Sofronoff said it was indeed a "shocking" case and reserved the court's decision to a date still to be fixed.

- NewsRegional

Originally published as Driver who killed son, partner in ice-fuelled crash wants less jail time