Judge Michael Bourke said he would impose a non-custodial sentence for Lorraine Nicholson, 66, if she pleaded guilty, during a sentence indication hearing at the County Court in Melbourne on Wednesday.
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Nicholson is yet to formally plead guilty and the matter has been adjourned to a date to be fixed for a plea hearing.
Judge Bourke gave the indication after hearing victim impact statements and submissions about Nicholson's remorse during a hearing last week.
TRIAL COVERAGE
- Day 1: Defence says woman 'missed the brake' to cause Navarre quadruple fatal
- Day 2: Major Collision Investigation Unit police officer says road conditions were dry and it was daylight
- Day 3: Witnesses to fatal crash heard 'the loudest bang'
- Day 4: First police on the scene said Navarre fatal cars both had 'major damage'
- Day 5: Navarre fatal accused tells of the 'devastating' moment of impact
Nicholson was found not guilty of four counts of culpable driving causing death over the quadruple fatality at Navarre on May 5, 2018.
The Ballarat jury could not reach a majority verdict on four alternative charges of dangerous driving causing death in October. The jury was discharged.
The accused woman's Jeep T-boned a Kia driven by Hamilton's Elaine Middleton, 64, and carrying passengers Margaret Ely, 74, also of Hamilton, Heywood's Dianne Barr, 64, and Portland's Claudia Jackson, 72, at the intersection of Stawell-Avoca Road and Ararat-St Arnaud Road at 6pm on May 5, 2018.
The four women, who were returning home after attending a line-dancing competition in St Arnaud, died from their injuries at the scene.
A seven-day trial was held at the County Court at Ballarat before Judge Michael Bourke in October