NZ man jailed in Perth for driving death of sister

A New Zealand man who admitted to causing the death of his 17-year-old sister while driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol has been sentenced in the Perth District Court to two and a half years in jail.

Judge Roger Macknay was told Quinton Arran Horne travelled with his sister Kerrily's body back to New Zealand so she could be buried according to Maori tradition, the West Australian newspaper reported.

On October 29 2007, Horne drove a Holden Commodore through a series of red traffic lights and veered across lanes in the Perth suburb of Balcatta, while travelling at 120km/h.

He lost control of the car on Main Street, crossing the median strip and smashing into a power pole before crashing in to the front garden of a home and hitting a tree.

Ms Horne, of Northland, was a passenger in the car, and died in Royal Perth Hospital from head and chest injuries.

Her brother later admitted dangerous driving occasioning death and driving under the influence, and his lawyer, David Manera, said his client had developed a deep- seated guilt about his behaviour.

"He has suffered intense and emotional distress because of the accident and he is unlikely to ever forgive himself," he said.

The siblings' uncle, Tuterangi Sadler, said in a victim impact statement the extended and close-knit family wanted to ensure that Horne accepted responsibility for his actions.

"It has been very horrific and tragic to the family, and his mum and dad," he told the court.

Mr Sadler said every family member felt like a victim and Horne had subsequently become suicidal.

Horne will be eligible for parole in one year and three months.

- NZPA