A drunk-driver who killed a cyclist has been sentenced to ten years in prison in the US, after the judge heard a recorded jail conversation in which she laughed about "taking out a tree hugger, a bicyclist, a Frenchman and a gay guy all in one shot."

Melissa Arrington, 27, a barmaid and exotic dancer from Tucson, Arizona, could have received as few as four years behind bars after she killed cyclist Paul L'Ecuyer while driving under the influence on the night of December 1, 2006.

Instead, she was sentenced to 10 years - one year shy of the maximum prison term for negligent homicide - after the judge heard a telephone conversation between her and a male friend one week after L'Ecuyer was killed.

During the conversation, the man told Arrington that an acquaintance believed she should get a medal and a parade because she had “taken out a tree hugger, a bicyclist, a Frenchman and a gay guy all in one shot.”

Arrington laughed. When the man said he knew it was a terrible thing to say, she responded, “No, it’s not.”

Superior Court Judge Michael Cruikshank said the conversation was "breathtaking in its inhumanity."

Michael Rosenbluth, for the defence, told the judge his client has never been “cold, callous or flippant; about L’Ecuyer’s death and has always felt remorseful."

Arrington was convicted two months ago of negligent homicide and two counts of aggravated drink-driving in connection with death of Mr L’Ecuyer, 45, a Tucson-born counsellor and human rights worker.

A keen athlete, Mr L'Ecuyer had been riding his bike on a five-foot wide bicycle lane, when Arrington swerved off the road, hit him and continued another 800ft before stopping.

Her blood-alcohol content was .156 percent, nearly double Arizona’s .08 legal limit. She had been driving on a suspended license for a prior drink-drive conviction.

Witnesses said she had been swerving before the collision, as she drove home after having at least five drinks with co-workers.

Ironically, just six months previously, she had attended Mothers Against Drunk Driving event designed to show the results of such behavior.

The court heard that one of the people who spoke at the MADD event had suffered severe brain damage after being struck by a drunken driver. The other killed his friend while driving drunk and is himself a quadriplegic as a result of the same crash.

"Did she not care about the tragedy that had befallen them?" asked the lawyer.

Arrington replied: "I heard what happened, but as far as caring, I don't know how I can answer that."

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