Jailing Stephanie Maher for 11 years, Judge David Parson said her actions were "morally reprehensible"** Credit:Justin McManus "We can only grieve with her and trust that her pain and the pain her family feels will diminish over time," he said. Judge Parsons said Maher acted in a manner that was "morally reprehensible" by failing to stop after hitting Mr Paul about 9.30pm on November 26, 2013, and then abandoned her car. "I regard your failure to stop as a particularly egregious example of that crime," he told her. "You well knew you'd hit a man on his bike and you chose to leave the scene and hide your car in an effort to avoid responsibility for your actions.

Julian Paul died from spinal and head injuries. "I reject your explanations as to what you did after the collision as untruthful." Mr Paul, a 54-year-old father of two daughters, was a keen cyclist who was safety conscious and was wearing a high-visibility cycling top, and had lights and illuminated tape on his bike on his ride home from work. He died about three weeks later. Maher, 33 – a former nurse who previously stole drugs from a hospital she'd once worked at and from a critically ill patient, and who has a history of using heroin, cocaine and amphetamines – was in June found guilty of culpable driving causing death, failing to stop at the scene of an accident and failing to render assistance. She had pleaded not guilty.

Her trial was told she was seen driving erratically along the Nepean Highway before the crash, and was seen by one motorist with her head tilted down as if she were asleep, and at one point with her eyes closed. Prosecutors could not say where Maher had been in the two hours before the crash, but argued she ought to have known she was fatigued and not fit to be driving. Her son, then aged two, was in the car when she hit Mr Paul. She told police she did not know she had hit Mr Paul, and thought a rock had shattered her windscreen. She claimed she abandoned her car and walked home over a concern that her brother – who lived in the same block of units and had mental-health problems – would see her car. Judge Parsons said Maher had told medical experts she was a good driver, was not fatigued that night and did not accept the statements made by the other drivers.

"Whilst your failure to render assistance was morally reprehensible, as well as being criminal, ultimately it was of no effect given a number of socially responsible citizens did in fact immediately give medical assistance and called the authorities," he told her. Maher must serve 8½ years in jail before being eligible for parole. She cried when Judge Parsons spoke how her son would now have to live with her mother, and then sobbed after the sentence had been imposed. "There is no evidence of remorse. There is a significant amount of self-pity and for your son's predicament," the judge said. "I see no evidence of taking responsibility for the death of Mr Paul."

Judge Parsons said Maher's criminal history – which include a string of driving offences, convictions for assault, theft and deception offences – and her history of drugs meant her prospects for rehabilitation were limited. Judge Parsons also disqualified her from driving for 9½ years, and ruled she had to gain permission from a court before she drove again. Outside court, Bicycle Network Victoria chief executive Craig Richards said Mr Paul's death had been felt throughout the cycling community, and that the case was a reminder for motorists to be aware of vulnerable road users. "Today the court has sent a strong message about this sort of behaviour, that if you are going to get behind the wheel of a vehicle you need to be extremely careful and take it seriously," Mr Richards said.