Samantha Hooker accelerated towards her 36-year-old ex-husband Peter, mounting a pavement and pinning him against the wall of a home at Schofields in Sydney's west on August 8, 2023.
Mr Hooker suffered serious injuries and died from sepsis more than three weeks later.
On Friday, his ex-wife - a 47-year-old former pathology worker - was seen sobbing next to a support person in the dock at the NSW Supreme Court as she was sentenced.
Justice Hament Dhanji found Mr Hooker engaged in a continuing campaign of intimidation and provocation against his partner, leading her to feel powerless as he refused to end the relationship.
He also assaulted Ms Hooker on one occasion, the court was told.
His estranged wife's powerlessness transformed into anger and rage, resulting in her losing control during the August 2023 confrontation, the judge found.
Ms Hooker punched her ex-husband and threw an object at him before driving at him in a targeted manner, according to the agreed facts.
"Are you trying to kill me?" he said after jumping over a metal barrier, minutes before being pinned between her work car and the wall.
Mr Hooker's abuse of alcohol and illegal drugs, including the supply of cannabis and cocaine, added to his spouse's mental strife, the judge found.
"What can be said ... is that the relationship was toxic," Justice Dhanji said.
Despite these findings, the judge said the former husband's life had been precious.
"The court extends its sympathies to those who knew and loved Mr Hooker," he said.
The couple were married in 2008 and stayed together until 2022, when they separated after Mr Hooker had an affair.
Ms Hooker had unsuccessfully tried to extricate herself from the relationship with her husband alternating between threats and abuse to apologising and wanting her back, Justice Dhanji said.
She was also subjected to emotional manipulation as Mr Hooker threatened to kill or harm himself, he noted.
The judge took this extreme provocation into account when he reduced Ms Hooker's sentence, imposing a maximum term of three years and nine months.
The 47-year-old's sentence was backdated to November 2024 to account for time already served in custody and home detention.
Her non-parole period of two years means she will be eligible for release on November 22.
She was found not guilty of murder in March but had pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Drone footage played to the court during the trial showed the route she took driving at her ex-husband.
Tyre marks were seen on the pavement while the silver hatchback with Medlab Pathology branding sits with its front end smashed against the side of the brick house.
The judge acknowledged the mental strain that the criminal proceedings had on Ms Hooker, which resulted in her fainting in court during her arraignment and twice during the trial.
She had shown deep remorse, including demonstrating horror at her actions at trial, he said.
Ms Hooker had also been the victim of assault in custody before being released on bail, after her ex-husband's cousin allegedly entered her cell and punched her in the head in October 2023, the court was told.
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