Kerre Woodham: Drink-driving penalties pathetic

Alison Downer was drunk when she killed Frank van Kampen. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Two-and-a-half years' jail for killing someone while you're pissed is a travesty.

Especially when you're a 71-year-old with three previous convictions for drink driving.

Alison Downer's selfishness and arrogance cost a man his life and a family a father and husband.

She has been an alcoholic for more than 30 years - she should have surrendered her licence and sold her car the first time she failed in rehab.

Downer's sentence was based on five years being the maximum; a third was taken off for an early guilty plea and a further six month reduction for Downer's offer of $30,000 in compensation to the family.

With parole, Downer will be out by Christmas. Two-and-a-half years and $30,000 for a life is a joke.

The maximum penalty needs to be increased immediately.