Teen drink-drive killer jailed

An 18-year-old drunk driver who killed a seven-month pregnant Levin woman on her way home from a Gin Wigmore concert has been jailed.

Judge Gerald Lynch sentenced Isaiah Joel Kokiri to two years and one month in jail on charges of dangerous driving causing death and injury when he appeared in Palmerston North District Court this morning.

Kokiri was almost three times the legal blood-alcohol limit for under-20s when his Subaru crashed into a Honda Civic driven by Ann-Maree Hardiman, 42, just after midnight on November 13 at Opiki, south of Palmerston North.

Hardiman died at the scene along with her unborn child.

Her passenger Sue Sinclair, also 42, suffered cracked ribs, as well as bruising to her upper body and pelvis.

The pair were travelling home to Levin after watching pop star Gin Wigmore play a concert in Palmerston North.

Hardiman's partner Len Blackaby said the days following her death played out like a nightmare.

"It's unbelievable that on that day in November, I had to deal with a coroner, rather than a radiologist," he said.

"The fact she was taken away by such a selfish and unlawful action makes it harder to accept."

Blackaby, who works with people serving community work sentences, said he now found his job difficult.

"I find it hard dealing with drunk drivers, especially ones who do not take their sentence seriously."

Hardiman's mother Margaret said nothing would ever make up for the loss of her daughter and unborn grandchild.

"All I have now is memories of them lying dead in a coffin."

She had been on medication for anxiety and sleep deprivation since the incident, she said.

Justice Lynch said Kokiri's actions showed young men needed to change their "cavalier" attitude towards drink driving.

He also disqualified Kokiri from driving for five years.