A former Australian Rules footballer was jailed for at least eight-and-a-half years after he killed two elderly women in a car accident. Shannon John Cox, 39, pleaded guilty to killing Thelma Clausen and Coral Seinor. He nodded off at the wheel and struck their vehicle on June 7 last year, around 170 kilometres north of Perth. Both women were aged in their 80s. They were on their way to a Country Women’s Association meeting when the accident occurred. The two women both died at the scene due to severe head wounds.
Cox Had Meth in his System During the Fatal Crash
Cox played 25 games for Collingwood in the AFL between 2007 and 2009. At the time of the crash, he had 0.77 milligrams per litre of methamphetamine in his system. He was also extremely fatigued. The Supreme Court in Western Australia heard these facts today during his sentencing. Cox’s Toyota Prado first struck the side of a truck on the Brand Highway. The roads were damp. He was travelling at around 84km/h. His car then smashed into the Suzuki Ignis that the two women were in after bumping into the truck.
Cox was travelling to Perth from Geraldton with his 12-year-old daughter, Josephine. She was injured in the crash as well. He was heading to pick up his wife, who had just been released from jail. The judge sentenced him to 10 years and six months. He can apply for parole after eight years and six months. That will be on October 25, 2024. Cox has two daughters. Once he is released, he can’t drive for four years.
Drug Use History and Past Crimes
Cox began using meth and alcohol at 13. He grew up witnessing violence and drug use. Football kept him on track. He did not learn to read until he was an adult. When he arrived in Melbourne aged 20, he began drinking to cope with stress. He also had a problem with gambling. When he retired from football, Cox was employed in mining. However, during 2015, he began to use a lot of meth.
Justice Stephen Lemonis explained that Cox had already served two years and six months in prison previously for drug offences. Approximately 18 months prior to this crash, Cox’s use of meth really escalated. He was serving a community order for drug offences at the time of the crash. The court was told this was the third time in two years that he was found by police driving with meth in his system. Even after being charged with murdering the two women, he was arrested again for possession of drugs while on bail.
Families Describe Devastating Impact of Deaths
Justice Lemonis informed Cox that what he did had horrible consequences. He explained that the tragedy occurred due to Cox’s addiction to meth. Leanne Clausen said her mum Thelma, ‘s death brought immense sadness and grief for her family. She informed the court that her mum was the kindest and most compassionate person who used to assist others in the community.
Suzanne Seinor told her mum that Coral lived for the people she cared about and cared for everybody without restraint. She addressed Cox directly in court regarding his decision to drive with drugs in his system. She informed him that the decision cost two lives, not his to lose. Your decision affected more than a thousand individuals – my mum and the family of her friend, friends and the entire community, Señor added.
News Summary
- Ex-AFL footballer Shannon Cox jailed for 10.5 years for killing two elderly women
- Cox fell asleep at the wheel with meth in his body, with his daughter in the car
- Thelma Clausen and Coral Seinor, both in their 80s, died at the crash scene
- Cox can ask for parole after 8.5 years and cannot drive for 4 years after release
- This was the third occasion in two years that Cox was arrested for driving with drugs in his system
FAQs
- How long was Shannon Cox sentenced to prison?
Shannon Cox was sentenced to 10 years and six months in prison. He can request parole after eight-and-a-half years.
- Who did Shannon Cox murder in the accident?
He murdered two old women, Thelma Clausen and Coral Seinor. They were both 80 years old. They were on their way to a Country Women’s Association meeting.
- What drugs were in Cox’s blood when he crashed?
Cox had 0.77 milligrams per litre of methamphetamine in his blood. He was also extremely fatigued.
- What AFL club did Shannon Cox play for?
Shannon Cox played 25 matches with Collingwood between 2007 and 2009. He featured as a half-back flanker.
- Was it Cox’s first time driving under the influence of drugs?
No, it was his third time in two years that he was caught driving under the influence of meth in his system.
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