The mother of dead Mosgiel siblings Shannon and Danielle Kiriau has slammed the jail term handed to the pair's killer as ''not adequate''.
Cameron Charles Presland (21) was jailed by Justice Cameron Mander for four years and nine months for the manslaughter of Shannon (22) and Danielle (17), when he appeared in the High Court at Dunedin yesterday.
Learner driver Presland had been drinking before getting behind the wheel of his illegally-modified, unwarranted and unregistered 1996 Honda Integra early on May 18 last year.
The car was travelling between 142kmh and 163kmh when Presland lost control on a moderate bend on the Southern Motorway.
Front-seat passenger Shannon was killed when the car slammed into a metal lighting pole.
Two other passengers, Danielle and Courtney Donald (18), were thrown from the vehicle as it spun out of control.
Danielle died at the scene, while Miss Donald was taken to Dunedin Hospital in a critical condition.
The car's other passenger, Caitlin Adams, sustained fractures to both hands, concussion and bruising.
Shannon and Danielle's mother, Beverley de'Blecourt, told the Otago Daily Times the sentence was ''not adequate at all''.
''We weren't very happy about it, but that's the law,'' she said.
Justice Mander took a starting point of seven years' jail, before reaching his final sentence after allowing for Presland's youth, remorse and early guilty plea.
''They took this many months off for that and this off for that and what's the point?'' she asked.
''It should be a flat seven years.
''We don't get months off for anything do we? We have got to live with it for the rest of our lives.''
In her victim impact statement, read to the court by Constable Amy Stewart, Mrs de'Blecourt called for young drivers - and passengers - to wear their seatbelts at all times and ''drive safely''.
''Don't show off while you're driving,'' her statement said.
After Presland's sentencing, Mrs de'Blecourt said she felt her plea was hopeless, as young drivers ''won't listen''.
''They are still going to do it,'' she said.
''They don't care about the consequences until something bad happens.''
Miss Donald, who remained in intensive care for a month after the crash, said in her victim impact statement she hated Presland for what happened.
''I don't remember the crash; I don't want to remember it,'' she said.
''I hate Cameron. He has ruined my whole life.
''He killed my best friend, Danielle, and Shannon, who was like a brother to me.''
She suffered injuries described by her orthopaedic surgeon as some of the worst he had seen.
Few of her bones were not broken, her parents, Tania and Bruce Donald, said in their victim impact statement.
After the crash, Ms Donald needed her pelvis reconnected to her spine, her left hip reconstructed, her right hip bolted and lost part of her tongue. She underwent 16 operations during hours of surgery for her injuries.
She had to re-learn walking, talking, toileting and moving her limbs since returning home last November.
''It's the hardest thing watching your daughter fight and suffer every day,'' the statement said.
''Cameron has never shown any remorse, taken no responsibility and has never tried to make contact.''
Mrs Donald gave up her job because of the time spent aiding her daughter's recovery and Mr Donald had lost clients.
The family earned significantly less after the crash.
Justice Mander had little sympathy for Presland, saying his attempt to divert blame on to the vehicle was ''startling'' and did him no credit.
''It is a matter of some disquiet that you appear to be in denial of your responsibility, notwithstanding your guilty pleas .. which could be interpreted as being remorse not for what you did but, simply, for what happened, and a minimisation of your responsibility,'' he said.
''Mr Presland, make no bones about it. It was your vehicle, its condition was your responsibility, you were driving it and it was your foot on the accelerator as it sped over 142 kmh - the safety of your passengers was in your hands.''
No other vehicles were in the area at the time of the crash, driving conditions were clear and the road was dry.
Justice Mander noted the vehicle was unregistered and unwarranted and had an uncertified after-market turbo.
''The vehicle should not have been on the road at all, let alone at the speed it was,'' Justice Mander said.
Record of poor driving
Crown prosecutor Craig Power told the court alcohol was clearly a factor in the crash despite Presland's belief it was not.
He highlighted the fact the vehicle had not been registered since February 25, 2012. .
Presland had a ''very poor driving record'' which included seven different offences, including speeding, in the 12 months before the accident. His licence was suspended on one occasion, but Presland kept driving anyway, Mr Power said.
''Mr Presland thought he was travelling close to the speed limit - that's of some concern if he was of that belief.
''Either he is a very poor judge of speed or he was influenced by alcohol.''
Defence counsel Anne Stevens said Presland's attitude about the incident had been misinterpreted.
''Cameron understands he is responsible. That's why he pleaded guilty,'' she said.
''By doing this, he avoided putting anyone through a trial. He accepts it was his driving that led to the crash - he has never shied away from that.''
Presland had not breached his bail conditions, and he had sought alcohol and drug treatment at his own expense, Ms Stevens said.
At the accident scene, Presland requested the others be treated before him and this reflected his attitude since the crash, she said.
His perceived lack of remorse and contact with the Donalds was because of his bail conditions, which did not allow them to meet, she said.
Presland had worked hard to save money to offer reparation to the affected families.
Family members of the victims wiped away tears as Justice Mander detailed the lead-up to the crash.
''You killed two people by your driving and inflicted injury and trauma on two other young women,'' he said.
The consequences of the crash for Miss Donald were ''appalling''.
He conceded no sentence would match the gravity of Presland's offending.
''There is no sentence that the court can impose which can mitigate the tragic consequences of your driving, or address their pain and suffering,'' he said.
''I acknowledge the depth of their grief, their bewilderment, their pain and, in some instances, their anger.''
Justice Mander sentenced Presland to four years and nine months' jail for the manslaughter of Danielle and Shannon Kiriau, and separate sentences of two years' jail for each count of driving causing injury to the car's other occupants.
The sentences would be served concurrently.
Presland was also disqualified from driving for five years.
Justice Mander ordered him to pay $2600 in reparation to the Kiriau family and $1200 to the Donald family.
Presland sat silently and emotionless during his sentencing.
He did not react after his sentence was read out.
He was accompanied to court by several supporters, who became confrontational with members of the media outside the court.
The group hurled obscenities and became involved in a fracas with a television cameraman.
