Katie Gleeson-Marlow’s shattered mum wants new offence for killing unborn babies after fatal crash

A NSW grandmother whose pregnant daughter was killed by a hoon driver wants a new offence made to punish those criminally responsible for the deaths of unborn babies.

A grandmother whose heavily pregnant daughter was killed by a hoon driver wants a new offence made to punish those criminally responsible for the deaths of unborn babies.

Kyra Maynard, 24, was last week jailed for a minimum 4½ years over the 2020 crash in country NSW that killed her passenger Katie Gleeson-Marlow. The 20-year-old was eight months pregnant.

Attorney-General Mark Speakman told The Daily Telegraph the state government was poring over submissions from the public on how to better acknowledge the loss of unborn babies due to crime as it works on a draft bill known as Zoe’s Law.

Kyra Maynard, who has been jailed for killing her pregnant friend Katie Gleeson-Marlow

Crash victim Katie Gleeson-Marlow.

Defence lawyers had reminded Judge Jennifer English that Maynard was to be sentenced only for Ms Gleeson-Marlow’s death and not that of her unborn son, who her family named Xavier.

But Dianne Marlow, Ms Gleeson-Marlow’s mother, wants the law changed to treat the death of an ­unborn baby as a separate offence.

Ms Marlow – who is now raising Ms Gleeson-Marlow’s surviving daughter Summer in the small town of Gilgai – said Maynard’s jail term was not long enough.

“It’s not fair, it’s not fair on Katie and it’s not fair on Xavier … she’s taken away another death, she took two people,” Ms Marlow said.

Dianne Marlow with her granddaughter, Summer, at their home in Gilgai, near Inverell. Picture: Melissa Bernard

Mr Speakman said the NSW government had sought public feedback while working on Zoe’s Law, the legislation of which is still in a development phase. Proposals in the Bill include making the death of an unborn baby an aggravating factor in a crime, increasing maximum sentences by an additional three years to recognise pregnancy loss and also allowing the names of unborn babies to be included on an offender’s charge sheets.

Maynard, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was given a head sentence of six years and nine months.

She will be first eligible for parole in September 2024.