Court jails disqualified driver high on meth over fatal crash

A West Australian man who was high on meth while driving on the wrong side of a highway before crashing head-on into another vehicle and killing a man has been sentenced to a decade in prison.

Robert Dwayne Watson was disqualified from driving and on bail when he hit Mako Dela Cruz Sotto's car on Albany Highway in Narrikup on April 24 last year.

During his sentencing hearing on Monday, the WA Supreme Court heard Watson's history of traffic offences, including reckless driving and drink driving, dating back to 1990.

Watson pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison.

He was disqualified from holding a licence for 10 years after his release.

Extreme meth use

The court heard Watson was under the influence of an extremely high level of methylamphetamine at the time of the crash, in addition to his licence disqualification and bail.

Watson's Holden Rodeo ute collided with 30-year-old Mr Sotto's Nissan Micra about 35 kilometres north of Albany.

Prosecutors told the court Watson's ute had veered into the northbound lane, with Mr Sotto attempting to avoid the collision by moving onto the road verge.

After the vehicles collided, a passer-by stopped to help, finding Mr Sotto unresponsive.

Watson was tested and found to have 1.4 milligrams of methylamphetamine and .09 amphetamine per litre of blood in his system, with the court hearing it was likely consumed within four hours before the crash.

JudgeAlainMusikanth said Watson's decision to get behind the wheel despite having consumed methylamphetamine was "extremely dangerous".

"You made that decision with complete disregard for the safety of other road users," he said.

"You crossed onto the wrong side of the road, travelled through the oncoming lane, crossed the rumble strip and entered the shoulder at the very place to which Mr Sotto had moved in an attempt to avoid (a crash)."

The court heard Watson was disqualified from driving a month before the crash for demerit point breaches and was on bail for an unrelated drug driving charge.

Victim planned life in Australia

In her victim impact statement, Mr Sotto's wife, Jules, said the pair came from poor families in the Philippines and moved to Australia just a couple of months before the crash.

They had hoped to work to support families back home and eventually have children together.

Judge Musikanth said Watson's lengthy criminal record outweighed any remorse he may have shown for the crash.

"They show that the serious offence did not occur against a background of otherwise unblemished conduct," he said.

"The court must send a clear message to others; driving while affected by illicit drugs is inexcusable, and will have severe consequences."

Watson will be eligible for parole after serving eight and a half years.