A former Bairnsdale dentist who has been sentenced to two and a half years jail for causing a crash that killed an off-duty police officer, will likely be deported after his prison term.

Senior Constable Kate McLeod, 53, was riding her motorcycle to work at Sale Police Station on October 7, 2015 when Patrick Mattu, 31, veered onto the wrong side of the road at Lindenow South, killing her.

Mattu, an Indian national, was driving a borrowed four-wheel drive accompanied by his wife and a friend when he collided with Ms McLeod on the Princes Highway.

Mattu had driven to Melbourne the previous night at the request of his friend who was going through a marriage breakdown.

During his trial at the County Court in Morwell, the court heard he had hardly slept in the 24 hours leading to the crash.

An expert witness said Mattu probably fell into a micro sleep in the moments before the crash.

He initially pleaded not guilty to dangerous driving causing death and the more serious culpable driving charge, but midway through his trial he changed his dangerous driving plea to guilty.

Mattu will be eligible for parole in May 2018.

Sister of deceased police officer has forgiven Mattu

Mattu's pregnant wife cried when the victim impact statements of Senior Constable McLeod's two sisters and her partner of 27 years were read.

Senior Constable McLeod's sister, Margaret Doyle, said in her statement she had forgiven Mattu.

"This terrible accident has changed all our lives, but it has also changed the defendant's," Ms Doyle wrote.

"It's hard to forgive but I'd like the defendant to know that we forgive him and hope that he can rebuild his life."

The victim's partner, Lisa Verhaegh, told the court in her victim impact statement the pair had planned to grow old together.

"My life changed forever in an instant," she said.

"I acknowledge his life also changed in an instant, but he still has a life."

Mattu's parents travelled from India to be at the court hearing, with his mother praying with rosary beads throughout the trial.

The accused qualified as a dentist in 2008 but is under investigation by the Dental Board due to the criminal conviction.

Mattu likely to be deported to India when released

In his sentencing Judge John Smallwood said if Mattu wanted to stay in Australia following his sentence, he would have to fight deportation.

The accused's wife sobbed as Judge Smallwood told the court her husband would be incarcerated for the birth of their first child in September.

The Judge described Mattu as a man of "impeccably good character" who had suffered "extremely severe depression" since the crash.

"You'll undergo this sentence knowing your wife will likely have to go back to India, she will likely be shunned by her family because she's married to a convicted criminal," Judge Smallwood said.

"I anticipate you'll fear your own deportation, on the face of it, a deportation order will be mandatory.

"There was no alcohol, no speed, he thought he was all right, but he wasn't.

"In terms of moral culpability, there's a lot worse."

Ms McLeod's partner Lisa Verhaegh says she was pleased he admitted he did the wrong thing.

"I just wanted him to basically put his hand up and say I'm guilty, I fell asleep and I'm guilty of that," Ms Verhaegh said.

"Driving while you're that fatigued I put that into the same category as drunk driving or drug affected driving, all three are having the same affect.

"He didn't set out to hurt anyone, he thought that he was responsible, [that's] no different to a drunk thinking they can drive, and they can't."