A District Court judge has shown leniency to a mother, who seriously injured her three sons in a meth-fuelled crash in the Adelaide Hills, because she was fleeing domestic violence.
Kathleen Norma Craig, 27, was given a two-year and 10-month sentence with a non-parole period of one year and five months after she admitted to three counts of causing harm by dangerous driving.
Judge Ian Press ordered the sentence be served on home detention.
Craig had consumed meth and was drifting in and out of her lane for 16 kilometres before she went off the road and crashed into a tree on Black Top Road at One Tree Hill in May 2021.
"You had a significant period of time to pull over, but obviously decided that was not convenient for you," Judge Press said.
"Your children's injuries were not life threatening – but nor were they minor," Judge Press said.
He said Craig had been living in Murray Bridge for a few months after leaving an abusive and controlling relationship six months before the crash.
"You ... had been informed by someone that he was on his way to Murray Bridge," he said.
"The relationship was characterised by violence and manipulation on his part. You ended that relationship when you noticed negative behaviours in your children."
Judge Press said the L-plater had secured a house in Adelaide and had organised a driver to take her and the boys there, but the driver pulled out and she decided to driver herself.
He rejected her claim she fell asleep at the wheel, and it was "more likely" she took the drug to stay awake – but instead felt the effect of "impaired concentration" when she crashed.
"Anything could have happened to your children and other road users," he said.
"It is the decision to drive while under the influence of drugs or alcohol that is to be deterred.
"As long as people put their own convenience before the safety of others, people will continue to be injured and killed on the road."
Judge Press said Craig – a sporadic drug user since the age of 18 — was now drug-free and had sought treatment and trauma counselling since the crash.
"I accept this crash was the catalyst for you to make positive and substantial changes. Your sole motivation has been the reunification with your children," he said.
He said her history of domestic violence did not excuse her decision to drive while using meth but it was a consideration in whether to allow her to serve her sentence on home detention.
Craig was banned from driving for seven years.
