A driver who killed two young women when he ran a red light after drinking for 10 hours straight and left them to die has been jailed for 11 years.
Unlicenced drunk driver Shane Bradley Pearce, 50, pleaded guilty to killing Lauren Prothero and her friend Paige Ward on May 29 last year.
Justice Fianacca in the Western Australian Supreme Court jailed Pearce for 11 years and imposed a 10-year driving ban.
Pearce recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.210, more than four times the legal limit, after the crash in Perth‘s south.
Lauren Prothero (pictured right) and Paige Ward (middle) were innocent victims in a double fatality in Perth last year
Shane Bradley Pearce was unlicenced and four times over the limit when he killed the women in Perth – he was also travelling at 123km in a 80km zone at time of offence
Ms Prothero and Ms Ward, both 27, suffered catastrophic injuries when Pearce slammed into their car after running a red light at 123km/h – more than 40km/h above the speed limit.
In the lead-up to the crash, the scaffolder spent the day drinking after being rained off at the building site where he was working.
Seconds before the deadly crash, Pearce’s co-worker, who was in the passenger seat of his 4WD, repeatedly yelled ‘red light, red light’ as the car sped towards the intersection – but Pearce failed to slow down.
The court also heard Pearce was aggressive to witnesses at the scene and rendered no assistance to the two women.
‘In contrast to the conscientious and heroic efforts of other concerned citizens, you made no attempt to render any assistance to either Ms Prothero or Ms Ward,’ the judge said in the WA Supreme Court.
‘In general, your attitude to those people can best be described as belligerent and involving denials that anything was wrong or that anyone was hurt.’
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Pearce was later arrested in the car park of a nearby fast food outlet.
Ward, who was married just four months earlier, died at the scene, with close friend Prothero dying a few hours later in hospital.
When he was interviewed the following day, Pearce told police he ‘could not recall’ anything about the crash.
Pearce chalked up seven convictions for driving under the influence dating back to 1992, the court heard.
Lauren Prothero (pictured right) passed away in hospital after suffering catastrophic injuries in the senseless accident in Perth last year
Paige Ward – who died at the scene – was married just four months before the double fatality
Defence lawyer Paul Holmes said his client wanted to be accountable for his behaviour, and at the time of the crime had hit ‘rock bottom’ after the recent death of his brother from cancer.
Pearce also said to police he was ‘sorry for what he had done’ and that he was a ‘coward’.
He has since vowed to never touch a drop of alcohol for the rest of his life and ‘he will take the punishment he deserves.’
Pearce will be eligible for parole after serving nine years behind bars.
The confronting scene at Cooloongup last May – both Lauren Prothero and Paige Ward passed away after the accident
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