Former Collingwood player Shannon Cox, who had meth is his system when his car smashed into a hatchback, killing two elderly women, is jailed for manslaughter.
A former AFL player who had meth in his system when he killed two women in a head-on car crash while they were on their way to a Country Womens Association event has been sentenced to more than 10 years' jail.
At the time of the crash in June last year, Shannon Cox, 39, was on a community-based order for drug driving offences. Cox's Toyota Prado drifted onto the wrong side of the Brand Highway near Cooljarloo, about 170 kilometres north of Perth. His car hit a road train trailer, spun and hit the trailer again before smashing into a hatchback carrying Thelma Clausen and Coral Seinor.The court heard Cox, who had minimal sleep, was found to have methylamphetamine in his system and may have fallen asleep at the wheel. Prosecutor Michael Cvetkoski said Cox had admitted he had "smoked meth on Wednesday", which was days before the crash.He told the court Cox had two previous convictions for driving with methylamphetamine in his system, in 2022 and 2023, and was on a community-based order for those offences when the crash occurred.Cox had pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter.His lawyer Paul Holmes said that on the day of the crash, his client had been "forced to go and pick up his wife who had just been released from custody". He said Cox was so concerned about getting his family back together that he made a "fateful mistake" deciding to drive from Geraldton to Perth. His daughter was in the passenger seat of the Prado at the time of the crash and received minor injuries.Justice Stephen Lemonis said Ms Seinor and Ms Clausen had been on their way to a Country Women's Association event when their car was hit.He said Cox had a lengthy criminal record, including both driving and drug offences.Mr Holmes said Cox had started using methylamphetamine at the age of 13, and at a younger age, he was "bagging up drugs before he was taught how to ride a bike".Cox, who appeared via video link from prison, sat at a table with his hand clasped, occasionally looking down.Leanne Clausen read out a victim impact statement, saying she still suffered from the loss of her mother and suffered panic attacks and sleeplessness.Friends Thelma Clausen and Coral Seinor were killed when their hatchback was hit by a car driven by former AFL player Shannon Cox, who had meth in his system.Ms Clausen spoke of her mother's community involvement, and said "she was taken from us in an act that was completely avoidable".Suzanne Seinor said her mother was "our pocket rocket who embraced life and everything in it". She described her mother as the "heart of our family, a family that is now broken" and she "lived for those she loved, and she loved unconditionally"."You chose an action that took a life that mattered," Ms Seinor told Cox.He will be eligible for parole after serving eight years and six months.
Wa News Wa Courts Perth Courts Fatal Crash Wheatbelt Crash Shannon Cox Crash Collingwood Road Crash Shannon Cox Accident Afl Brand Highway Crash Mid West Crash Brand Hwy Crash Country Womens Association Michael Cvetkoski Thelma Clausen Coral Seinor
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