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Sam Harris' boyfriend sentenced to jail

Luke Hunt, the fiance of Australian model Samantha Harris, has been sentenced to four years in jail over the death of Kenneth Lay from a car accident.

The fiance of Australian model Samantha Harris will serve at least two years in jail over a fatal crash that killed a 78-year-old man on Sydney's northern beaches.

Luke Hunt, 28, was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday over the death of Kenneth Lay in 2012.

Mr Lay died in hospital after the car that Hunt and Ms Harris were travelling in collided with the older man's car, which then slammed into a tree.

Hunt had pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death, and the court heard he had been speeding in the 60km/h zone, driving at 95km/h.

Judge Colin Charteris said the sentence sent a strong message about reckless driving and its consequences.

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"There has been no real account from Hunt to explain why he was driving in such a hurry at the time of the accident," he told the Downing Centre District Court.

"It's completely inexcusable."

Hunt had been trying to change lanes at high speed when his Commodore collided into Mr Lay's Hyundai Lantra at the intersection of Warringah Rd and Alfred St, Narraweena.

Judge Charteris said the grandfather of 16 and father of seven had been obeying the road rules.

Had Hunt not been speeding Mr Lay would still be with his family.

However, the judge accepted Hunt's remorse and acknowledged the 28-year-old tradesman now suffers from depression.

"He wishes he had passed away in the accident ... but his regret cannot remedy what has occurred," Mr Charteris said.

Hunt has also been disqualified from driving for six-and-a-half years.

Outside court, Mr Lay's daughter Christine Scott said there were no winners.

"We're not cruel people, and I hate to see somebody go to jail like that, but you can't do what he did," she told AAP.

Ms Harris was not in court for her fiance's sentence.

He will be eligible for parole in 2016.


2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


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