A Shepperton taxi driver has been sentenced to six years imprisonment for a fatal crash that killed three elderly nursing home residents last year.
39-year-old Jatinder Panesar was found guilty of three counts of dangerous driving causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing serious injury following a two week trial in the June 2017 Pyke Road crash when he t-boned his maxi taxi into a nursing home minibus, causing it to roll.
Of the 12 nursing home residents that the bus was carrying, one died at the scene and two died later in the hospital.
Mr Panesar had pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him. It came to light months after the fatal crash that he had undiagnosed sleep apnoea.
On Monday, he appeared in the court for sentencing where the Judge took into account his good character and said he just failed to pay attention, the ABC reported.
"There was no involvement of speed, drugs or alcohol; you simply failed to pay attention for 15 seconds and drove your taxi into that intersection without awareness," County court Judge Geoff Chettle said.
"I accept that you suffered from undiagnosed sleep apnoea, that condition made you more likely to drive dangerously than someone without that condition.
The Judge accepted that Mr Panesar was remorseful and said that he was unlikely to re-offend.
During the evidence, his former boss described the Indian migrant as a "special soul" who would never do anything wrong again.
The Indian migrant will be eligible to be released on parole in three years and six months.
