The family of a young woman killed when her car was struck by an ice-fuelled driver said they are shattered after he was jailed for at least five years.
With time served, Jo Han Lim, 33, will be eligible for parole in under five years after being sentenced to a maximum of eight years jail.
But the family of his victim Lisa Di Donato, 27, said their pain will never end.
Malaysian man Jo Han Lim was sentenced to at least five years jail for culpable driving causing the death of 27-year-old Lisa Di Donato
The 27-year-old was headed home from a yoga class in Rowville, south west of Melbourne, on February 15 when Lim smashed into her car at up to 81km/h, killing her on impact.
The 27-year-old was headed home from a yoga class in Rowville, south-east Melbourne, on February 15 when Lim smashed into her car while driving at 81km/h, killing her on impact.
Lim, who turns 34 this week, had smoked ice before breakfast that day and was disqualified from driving and on bail for other driving offences.
He pleaded guilty to culpable driving causing death.
Lim was already serving a five-month jail sentence, handed down in October, and has spent seven months in custody for this offence.
He has extensive prior convictions for driving offences and fines for speeding.
In one day in 2013, he was clocked speeding seven times, including at more than 30km/h over the limit on four of those occasions.
‘Our loss and pain will always be with us,’ Miss Donato’s mother Elena Di Donato (pictured) said outside the court
Born in Malaysia, Lim is an Australian permanent resident but faces deportation on release.
Outside court, Ms Di Donato’s devastated family said they were ‘disappointed’ and ‘shattered’ by the sentence and the prospect of Lim’s deportation was the only saving grace.
‘Today I’m just going to go home and be sad because in x amount of years he walks out free and we’ll never be free, and our loss and pain will always be with us,’ her mother Elena Di Donato said.
County Court Judge Paul Lacava said he took into account four victim impact statements from Ms Di Donato’s mother, partner, brother and aunt.
‘The life of a decent, hardworking young woman with a loving partner and family, who was admired and loved by all, has been lost,’ he said.
Ms Di Donato’s (left) mother said family and friends were shattered after Lim was jailed for at least five years
He said Ms Di Donato’s loved ones felt a ‘profound sense of needless loss’ at Lim’s hand, ABC News reported.
‘The deceased’s partner has had his life virtually turned upside down by your actions in causing this collision. Each of the victims have suffered a profound sense of needless loss at your hands,’ Judge Lacava said.
Lim was an ice user at the time of the crash and was recorded with 0.19mg of methamphetamine and 0.5mg of amphetamine in his system when arrested.
He also suffered an acquired brain injury in a crash in 2011, that reports presented to court ahead of sentencing noted were ‘primary contributors’ to his offending behaviour.
Judge Lacava said the drug use began before that incident and without treatment, his rehabilitation prospects were bleak.
Lim has been disqualified from driving for life and could face deportation back to Malaysia upon his release.
County Court Judge Paul Lacava said Ms Di Donato’s loved ones felt a ‘profound sense of needless loss’ at Lim’s hand