A JUDGE has jailed a drugged, drunk hoon who pleaded guilty to manslaughter after his trial began last year.
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David Johnathan Holmyard, 26, who the Crown said had a "reckless disregard" for the life of others, was jailed for six years, backdated to November 26, with a non-parole period of four years on Friday.
Justice Robert Pearce, in sentencing, acknowledged the "catastrophic" consequences of Holmyard's conduct but said his sentence was reflective of those for similar crimes.
"No sentence can remedy the loss of Mrs Flanagan," he said.
Justice Pearce also disqualified Holmyard from driving for five years upon his release.
The Supreme Court in Launceston previously heard that Holmyard drank about six whiskey and cokes in about two hours in the Clarendon Arms Hotel and then decided to drive on November 7, 2014, about 8.37pm.
He evaded police while leaving Evandale at 109km/h in an 80km/h zone and he drove on the wrong side of Evandale Road for about 175 metres.
Holmyard’s Ford Falcon XR6 sedan, still in an 80km/h zone, became airborne at 174km/h for 21 metres and landed 64 metres away from the Nissan Navara dual cab utility of Maureen Ann Flanagan.
Mrs Flanagan, who was metres from her driveway, died instantly when Holmyard hit her at 170km/h at Western Junction.
A blood test showed Holmyard had a blood-alcohol level of 0.086.
He had 10 micrograms of cannabis and 0.02 milligrams of methylamphetamine in his blood.
Earlier on Friday, defence counsel Mark Doyle, in his plea in mitigation, made an unreserved public apology as Holmyard had instructed him to, for the grief and sorrow that he had caused to Mrs Flanagan's family and loved ones.
Mr Doyle also referred to Holmyard's Forensic Mental Health report and said his client would be addressing his "difficult personality traits" in jail.
The report noted that Holmyard had no mental illness.
Outside court, Mrs Flanagan's family expressed their extreme disappointment at the shortness of the jail sentence but were relieved that court proceedings had finally ended.