Family of a mother of four who was hit by a car and left to die by her cold-blooded partner have vowed to fight for tougher laws against domestic violence.

Jacqui Purton, 37, was trying to leave a property in rural Tasmania on a night in March 2023 when she was struck by a white Holden Commodore driven by James Kenneth Austin.

The 40-year-old, who was initially charged with murder, was sentenced today to 13 years’ jail after pleading guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter.

He will be eligible for parole after serving eight years.

Purton was walking down the property’s 500m gravel driveway after an argument with Austin, who drove after her.

She was struck by the car, which was travelling at 20-30km/h, and dragged underneath, dying rapidly from significant injuries including a broken pelvis. 

In sentencing in the Supreme Court of Tasmania, Justice Michael Brett said Austin then went back to the house “leaving her to die”.

He returned to the car and put Purton on the back seat before driving back to the house and getting his dad to drive the car down to the road to meet an ambulance.

Purton had tried to call police earlier in the evening but couldn’t get through because of poor reception in the area. 

When police called the house soon after the incident, Austin tried to divert them by saying Purton was not there and had gotten a ride home. 

“Your actions were cold-blooded, callous and selfish to an extent which is difficult to describe in words,” Justice Brett said. 

Austin had previously threatened to kill Purton and was controlling and violent in their “on-and-off-again” relationship spanning four years. 

There was a family violence order aimed at preventing him from assaulting or abusing her.

Austin had previously driven a car at Purton when she tried to leave the property, but she had always managed to jump out of the way. 

Justice Brett said Austin, whose sentence has been backdated to 2023 when he was taken into custody, did not intend to hit her on the night in question but wanted to frighten her. 

“(But) she did not (jump out of the way) or could not do so. You did not brake despite seeing her in front of you,” Justice Brett said. 

Purton has been remembered as a fun, bold and kind free spirit who was dedicated to her children and immediate family. 

Speaking outside court, Purton’s mother Leanne Walford and daughter Shakira Robertson pledged to continue to fight for reform to prevent domestic violence. 

They said harsher penalties were needed for incidents involving cars being driven by people’s current or former partners. 

Walford said the full extent of domestic violence experienced by her daughter hadn’t been revealed in court. 

“She was more than a case file. Laws must be tougher because our numbers are going to keep going up,” she said. 

Justice Brett said Purton’s death was a very serious example of manslaughter, family violence and breach of an order.