Tears and feelings of relief were mixed with applause in a Clarenville, N.L. courtroom on Friday morning as Austin Deir was handed a three-year prison sentence for his role in the dangerous driving deaths of Haley Keating and Erin Pretty.

“Rot in hell,” one person shouted as an officer placed handcuffs on the 73-year-old Mount Pearl resident, who remained expressionless and silent as he was escorted out of the court to begin a period of incarceration.

“Maybe his family will get a sense of what it’s like to not have that special someone in your house,” Kelly Tulk, Haley Keating’s mother, told CBC News after Judge Andrew Brown handed down his sentence.

“I was so afraid he was not going to get anything, so it’s very fair and I’m very happy with the decision,” added Lisa Pretty, Erin’s mother.

The lead prosecutor in what was a highly publicized and highly charged case was also satisfied with the outcome.

“I think it’s a fair and proportionate decision,” said Alison Manning.

She said Brown’s sentence “sends a message to the general public that driving dangerously in a manner that takes the life of two young people will result in you serving a period of imprisonment.”

Judge Brown said a period of prison time was necessary “to send a message that dangerous driving is simply intolerable.”

“Those who drive dangerously and cause multiple deaths must expect severe penalty in alignment with the substantial harm suffered by the community even when, like Mr. Deir, they are remorseful, of otherwise good character, and accept responsibility for their offences,” Brown said.

Brown also ordered that Deir have his driving privileges suspended for four years after his release, although he described Deir as unlikely to reoffend.

Brown described Deir’s apology during a recent sentencing hearing as “sincere and genuine.”

Deir was driving erratically before the crash

Friday’s proceedings marked the end of the legal process that started following a devastating head-on collision on the Trans-Canada Highway near Arnold’s Cove on Jan. 21, 2024, that resulted in the deaths of the two 22-year-olds.

Haley Keating and Erin Pretty were described during an earlier sentencing as vibrant, caring and compassionate, with bright futures ahead of them.

Deir was working as a labour leader with the province’s largest union, NAPE, and previously worked a long career in diagnostic imaging in the health system. He’s been married for 37 years and is a father to three children.

Deir was on the job more than two years ago as he drove west in an SUV, and was driving erratically and speeding, according to the agreement statement of facts.

Keating was at the wheel of her Hyundai Elantra, with Pretty in the passenger seat. The longtime friends from Trinity and Placentia bays were driving east following an outing in Clarenville.

At about 3:20 p.m. NT, Deir’s vehicle crossed over the solid yellow line, and crashed head-on into Keating’s smaller car.

The roads were dry and the skies were clear.

Pretty died at the scene, while Keating passed away a week later.

Deir suffered two broken ankles and an injury to his elbow. He was pulled from his burning vehicle by passersby.

Some witnesses said they detected a smell of alcohol from Deir, but a police officer at the scene contradicted that evidence.

Deir admitted he had several glasses of whiskey the night before the crash, and that he took his prescribed dose of anxiety medication before departing on his road trip the next morning.

Alcohol and drugs were not a factor

Deir was initially charged with two counts of impaired driving causing death, but that was later downgraded to dangerous driving causing death after the court ruled there was no evidence that alcohol or drugs were factors in the tragedy.

But that did not lower the temperature in the case, with Deir facing what the judge described as a “gauntlet of protestors” each time he arrived for a court hearing.

And emotions were also high on Friday, with additional security on hand inside and outside the courtroom.

“I’m glad that he’s finally doing some time for all the pain he’s caused by taking our girls from us,” said Kelly Tulk.

“He needed to be cuffed and he needs to go to jail,” added Lisa Pretty. “He needs to sit and think of what he’s taken from everybody, and what beautiful girls they were.”

Deir has ‘good character’

Brown said the deaths of Keating and Pretty, and Deir’s failure to take any corrective action as he drove dangerously for about 10 minutes, were aggravating factors.

Some of the mitigating factors include Deir’s guilty pleas, remorse and “good character,” said the judge.

“His professional life has materially contributed to the well-being of the community,” Brown said.

Lisa Pretty, meanwhile, held her late daughter’s stuffed toy as she listened to the sentencing on Friday. She said losing her daughter has upended her life, and that she keeps going because of her son, Ryan.

“We had to be strong for him,” she said.

Judge Brown said he hopes the families find peace now that the legal matter is concluded, but Kelly Tulk said she’s not sure what the future holds.

“It’s hard to lose a child,” she said.