The family of a 15-year-old boy killed while on a pedestrian crossing in Darwin last year say they are considering an appeal against the driver's three-and-a-half-year jail term.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name and image of a person who has died.
Jack Parker was struck and killed by a ute while trying to cross Matthews Road in Wulagi on his scooter last August.
The Northern Territory Supreme Court heard Garth Spain was speeding and under the influence of alcohol and cannabis when he crashed into the boy.
The court heard the teenager had gone to cross the busy suburban street at pedestrian crossing outside Sanderson Middle School when he was hit by the ute with force.
He died at the scene after the force of the impact left his body 40 metres down the road.
The court heard Spain panicked after the crash and drove away instead of stopping to help.
He drove to the Casuarina Police Station to report the accident, but the front counter was closed. He then phoned police to report what happened.
Spain's prior history of drink driving heard in court
The 33-year-old construction labourer pleaded guilty to one count of dangerous driving causing death and one count of failing to stop and provide assistance following the incident.
Dangerous driving causing death carries a maximum 10-year jail sentence, but Justice John Burns said he considered Spain's early guilty plea and efforts to complete an alcohol rehabilitation program in reducing his sentence.
"The community expects, and rightly so, that those who drive while intoxicated and at excessive speed and thereby cause the death of another human being will receive substantial punishment," Justice Burns said.
The court heard Spain had a prior history of driving while intoxicated and in 2011 was convicted of not stopping after an accident in the Northern Territory.
Sentence a 'slap on the wrist', family say outside court
Speaking outside court, Jack Parker's aunt, Lynette Fejo, said the family has been left devastated after boy's death.
"He's taken from us my nephew, an uncle, a grandson and a brother — this is what Garth Spain has done," she said.
"We're not happy. It's like a slap on the wrist to our family or slap in the face as I would say," Ms Fejo said.
Ms Fejo said she spent the afternoon gardening at her home with her nephew who had special needs before the crash happened.
She said she gave the Jack pocket money after they finished in the garden and that he was on his way to the supermarket to buy a treat when he was killed.
Spain was sentenced to three-and-a-half years imprisonment, with a non-parole period of one year and nine months.
His driver's licence has also been suspended for five years.
The family said it was considering appealing the verdict.
