By JACKSON MILLER
A man who ran over his fiance and left her to die alone during a shocking act of domestic violence could walk from jail in a matter of months.
Charles McKenzie Ross Evans, 45, was initially charged with Alicia Quay-Little's murder, but that charge was downgraded to dangerous driving causing death and failing to render assistance, during a plea deal.
Evans was today sentenced in the Supreme Court to a minimum two years and six months jail, but with time already served, he could be paroled by mid-2020.
Ms Quay-Little, 41, was killed three days after Christmas in 2017, when she was struck by a car driven by Evans at their home in Kyneton.
Alicia had made a call to the police at 3.41pm on the day she died, to report Evans being drunk and abusive.
Police and paramedics arrived at the couple's home at 3.57pm, but Alicia could not be saved.
Evans fled the scene, returning to the property later that day.
The court heard Ms Quay-Little and the offender's relationship was plagued by domestic violence and they had a heated argument on the day of her death.
Members of Ms Quay-Little’s family broke down in tears as Justice Lesley Taylor described the horrific injuries she sustained when she was struck by the car.
“Ms Little was crushed between the car and a water tank,” Justice Taylor said.
“Her injuries included rib fractures, a pelvic fracture and liver lacerations," she said.
“A close-knit family has lost a daughter, sister, aunt, mother and niece.
“The death of Alicia has caused widespread grief."
Evans had been in a four-year relationship with Ms Quay-Little prior to her death.
After he was sentenced, family and friends of Ms Quay-Little today stood on the steps of the Supreme Court to deliver a passionate message of the grief inflicted on them by the cruel acts that left Ms Quay-Little dead.
Her sister-in-law, Lauren Osbourne-Little, said “there are no winners here”.
“All of us will be forever changed by this unnecessary loss of life,” she said.
“Please don’t let domestic violence be anyone’s norm.”
Justice Taylor said Evans' guilty plea indicated remorse and that he could be rehabilitated.
Ms Quay-Little’s grieving family said they were angered by the sentence.
Her aunt Cindy Miller said, “we are the ones who have been given a life sentence”.
“My niece’s life is worth nothing,” she said.
Kelly Quay, another aunt to Ms Quay-Little, said she wanted domestic violence to be taken more seriously.
“We hope no-one ever else has to ever go through something like this,” she said.
“The main message we want to send is that domestic violence against anyone is unacceptable.”
