Vic killer driver's jail term 'not enough'

The family of a young couple killed in a Melbourne collision say they are devastated the driver could be released from jail in a little over three years.

The family of a couple killed when a speeding driver ran a red light in Melbourne say they are devastated she could walk from jail in just over three years.

Fernando Marino, 33, and Karen McGovern, 31, were hit as they crossed a road in Carlton's restaurant district in August 2011, leaving their two young children orphans.

The driver, Kathryn Eliza Matiszak, wept in a Victorian County Court dock on Monday as Judge Damian Murphy outlined the consequences of her crime.

"Your conduct has resulted in the death of a loving couple, the building block of our society, and left two children orphans," Judge Murphy said.

"Your dangerous driving has destroyed the natural order. Parents should not have to bury their children.

"Children should be raised by their parents, not grandparents, aunties and uncles."

Judge Murphy sentenced Matiszak to six years in jail with a minimum of three years and three months and cancelled her licence for four years.

But Ms McGovern's father Peter McGovern said the sentence was lenient.

"Devastated, we all are," he said outside court.

"No sentence is good enough for what we've lost.

"We've got a life sentence, her children have a life sentence.

"It's not enough. It never will be enough."

The couple from Albion Park in NSW were on a weekend trip to Melbourne to watch Ms McGovern's beloved AFL team the Sydney Swans play at the MCG, when they were killed.

Matiszak, 31, of Keilor pleaded guilty to two counts of dangerous driving causing death.

She was travelling 65km/h in a 50km/h speed zone and the traffic light had been red for six seconds when she drove through the intersection and hit the couple.

Matiszak never provided a reason for her lapse of concentration, but Judge Murphy condemned her combination of speed and significant inattention.

"For a period of nearly 10 seconds you were inattentive ... and exceeding the speed limit to boot," he said.

He accepted Matiszak was genuinely remorseful for her crime and said her young son would provide incentive for her rehabilitation.


Share

2 min read

Published

Updated

Source: AAP


Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world