‘My daughter’s life is only worth five years’: Mum lashes ice driver’s jail term
A heartbroken mother whose daughter died when an ice-addict driver ploughed into her car has lashed out at his eight-year jail sentence.
Law & Order
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A devastated mother whose daughter was killed when an ice-addicted driver ploughed into her car has branded his eight-year jail sentence inadequate.
Lisa Di Donato’s mother, Elena, said today’s decision only added to the pain of losing the beloved 27-year-old pharmacist.
She was stopped at traffic lights outside a Rowville shopping centre when Jo Han Lim, 33, crashed into her car.
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Lim — a banned drug driver with a shocking decade-long record of driving — will be eligible for parole within five years.
Ms Di Donato, surrounded by Lisa’s relatives and friends outside Melbourne’s County Court, said the sentence would do little to prevent similar tragedies.
Lim’s main charge of culpable driving causing death had carried a maximum penalty of 20 years’ jail.
“I am so disappointed that my daughter’s life is only worth five years and he will be out in less than that,’’ Ms Di Donato said.
“He knew he was doing the wrong thing.
“He took drugs, he drove, he did all the wrong things.
“How many chances has he been given? He gave Lisa no chance at all and he killed her.”
Lim, who moved to Australia from Malaysia at age 13, will face deportation on release and had his licence banned for life.
He had argued a brain injury from a 2011 car accident impaired his decision making.
He smoked ice for breakfast on February 15 before ploughing a borrowed ute into the driver’s side door of Lisa’s car at up to 81km/h as she waited to exit Wellington Village shopping centre after a yoga class.
“The legal system isn’t on our side — it’s on their side,’’ Ms Di Donato said.
“It’s no deterrent to people because they know if they do something wrong they’re out in a short amount of time.
“I’m really, really saddened.
“Tomorrow it will be forgotten and some other poor family will go through exactly what we’re going through.
“The only saving grace is that he is going to be deported.”
County Court Judge Paul Lavaca in sentencing said he had taken into account Lim’s willingness to plead guilty at the earliest opportunity.
His cognitive impairment would also make him more vulnerable in prison and his time behind bars more “burdensome”.
“Clearly your driving record is appalling and you should not have been driving on the day you offended,’’ Judge Lavaca told the court.
“Each of the victims has suffered a profound sense of loss at your hands.
“She was doing nothing more than obeying the law having stopped her car at a red light.”
Lim — whose deplorable driving includes seven speeding fines in one day and charges of reckless conduct and driving while disqualified — sat slumped with a hand over his face during sentencing.
He will mark his birthday behind bars on Friday.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing methylamphetamine and cannabis, driving while disqualified and committing an indictable offence on bail — receiving a total two months’ jail for these offences.