Shannon John Cox, 39, confessed to unlawfully causing the deaths of Thelma Clausen and Coral Seinor when he nodded off at the wheel, drifting into oncoming traffic approximately 170 kilometers north of Perth on June 7 of the previous year.

The women, both in their 80s, were traveling to a Country Women’s Association event and suffered fatal injuries in the head-on crash, dying on the spot.

Cox received a sentence of 10 years and six months, with eligibility for parole after eight years and six months, the sentence retroactively starting from October 25, 2024.

Cox, a father of two daughters, will also be disqualified from driving for four years after he is released.

The court heard that Cox began using methamphetamine and alcohol at age 13 due to his early exposure to drugs and violence.

Initially, football offered Cox structure, although he didn’t become literate until adulthood. However, after moving to Melbourne at 20, he turned to alcohol for stress relief and developed a gambling issue.

After retiring from the game, Cox entered the mining industry.

But in 2015 he started using a significant amount of methamphetamine and previously served two years and six months for drug-related offences, Justice Stephen Lemonis said as he delivered the sentence.

About 18 months before the accident that killed Clausen and Seinor, Cox’s methamphetamine use escalated significantly, and he was on a community-based order for drug-related charges at the time of the accident.

His arrest over the women’s deaths was the third time in two years he had been caught driving with methamphetamine in his system, and while on bail for the manslaughter charges, he was again caught using the drug.”The impact of your offending has been devastating,” Justice Lemonis told Cox.

“This offending has tragically come about because of your addiction to methamphetamine.”

Leanne Clausen said her mother Thelma’s death had caused her family significant grief and trauma.

“Mum was the most selfless, kind-hearted and community-driven person,” she said while reading her victim impact statement.

“Her volunteering efforts were endless.”

Suzanne Seinor said her mother Coral “lived for those she loved and loved unconditionally”.

“You chose to drive a car with drugs in your system,” she said, addressing Cox during her victim impact statement.

“That choice resulted in taking two lives that weren’t yours to take.

“Your choice affected over a 1000 people, who were my mum and her friend’s family, loved ones and community.”