Jenna Louise Lyons jailed for seven years for meth gamble that killed Mt Barker legend William Sounness

A “selfish” unlicensed driver who killed a local legend shortly after snorting methamphetamine at a petrol station — having embarked on a trip between Perth and Albany having hardly slept for three days — has been jailed for seven years. William “Bill” Sounness, 79, was driving on Albany Highway near his hometown of Mt Barker when the four-wheel-drive being driven by tired and drug-affected Jenna Louise Lyons veered to the wrong side of the road and smashed head-on into his vehicle about 6.30am on March 7 last year. Mr Sounness was airlifted to Royal Perth Hospital but died of his injuries. A well-known local farmer, Mr Sounness made headlines in 1983 when he remarkably scored a double century in both innings of the Mt Barker Cricket Association grand final while playing for Narrikup — the only local to ever achieve such a feat. Lyons was injured in the crash and taken to Albany Regional Hospital where a blood test revealed she had a “relatively high” level of meth in her system. Police found a small bag of ice in her car. Lyons made the decision to head south at 1am to see her boyfriend despite using drugs three days earlier and having had little sleep. She sent audio messages telling him she had fallen asleep at the wheel at least twice, waking up on gravel. “In this recording you were laughing about how tired you were and were flippant about driving in that state,” a scathing Judge Carmel Barbagallo said as she sentenced Lyons, 36, on Tuesday. “It makes for shameful listening.” About 4am, Lyons, whose driver’s licence was suspended for non-payment of fines, stopped at a service station in Williams where she snorted meth to keep her awake. Lyons pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death under the influence of drugs. Her lawyer Andrew Wadham said she was remorseful and acknowledged “receiving news that a family member ... has been lost in such as way is everyone’s worst nightmare”. The court was told Lyons was in a dysfunctional relationship and drove to Albany at her partner’s demand to avoid an argument and a possible assault. Prosecutor Fiona Clare said victim impact statements by Mr Sounness’ elderly mother, brother and sister-in-law revealed the “powerful impact” that Mr Sounness’ death had on his family and community. She said his three children were forced to say goodbye to their father in the intensive care unit before his life support was turned off. Judge Barbagallo described Lyons’ offending as “extraordinary”. “Your choice to drive over 400km in a tired and drug-fuelled state was as far from momentary inattention as one could get,” she said. “It was conduct that was protracted and which had all of the hallmarks for a disaster written all over it. Your selfish wants were greater than the safety of other road users. Judge Barbagallo added among the reasons Lyons should not have been on the road was that she was not entitled to drive. “Imagine, had you been a law-abiding citizen and complied with your suspension of licence and did not get into the vehicle that day, Mr Sounness would not be dead,” she said. Judge Barbagallo said Mr Sounness would have had no idea that his life was about to end because of a “tired and drug-affected driver”. “Shame, great shame on you,” she said. Lyons will be become eligible for parole after serving five years behind bars. She will be banned from driving for seven years on release from prison. It is expected Lyons will be deported to Britain when she is released.