Mum hails guilty verdicts over boating death

By Bay Times court reporter
Kelly Robinson has been through the wringer since her son's tragic death.
The Papamoa single mother has found it difficult to cope with life and even gave up her job after 13-year-old son Steven died in a boating accident.
The accident happened when the aluminium craft Predator - skippered by James Gordon Newlands - capsized in heavy swells off Maraetai Bay, near Te Kaha, on January 29, 2005.
All Ms Robinson wanted was for someone to be held responsible for Steven's death - and yesterday she finally got that.
Newlands, a 47-year-old Otorohanga company director, was found guilty of two charges of operating a ship in a manner causing unnecessary danger or risk to persons or property after a three-day defended hearing in Tauranga.
During the District Court hearing, Ms Robinson sat in what the Judge Christopher Harding described "as silence and dignity" - and waited for some justice.
Outside court, Ms Robinson told the Bay of Plenty Times: "It has now answered the question that has been tormenting me for 12 months: someone is responsible for my son's death.
"I am really pleased it has been proved - it has answered a lot of questions.
"All I want is for Mr Newlands, who was entrusted with my son's well-being at the time, to take responsibility for the bad choices he has made resulting in the loss of my son."
Ms Robinson said she had been through the wringer. "It has been a difficult time for me."
She said since her son's death everything had changed. She found it hard to cope with everyday life and had to give up her job as an accounts manager.
"I'm never going to get over this, never in my life."
Now, Ms Robinson said she had to start learning to live with her grief - a process the harrowing court case would allow to begin.
"It has been incredibly difficult but I have got through it," she said, recognising the support of a large group of family and friends that supported her.
"I know it probably hasn't hit me yet that it's all over and I know when it does it's going to hit me like a tonne of bricks.
"It's just something that will take a lot of time to accept and also there's a lot of learning involved in dealing with it as well."
Ms Robinson hoped her enrolment in a Bay of Plenty Polytechnic diploma in social practice and counselling, which begins on Monday, would help adjust to the loss.
"It will be really therapeutic for me and something I am sure I can get some real benefit out of - I really have been through a lot in the past year."
It is exactly this and her longing to do something her son would be proud of that gives Ms Robinson a "real drive to succeed".
"Everything I do now is in honour of my son because he wouldn't have wanted anything else."
At the end of the hearing yesterday afternoon, there were sighs of relief when the guilty verdicts were handed down.
Judge Harding found Newlands had failed to check whether Steven's life jacket was securely fastened before trying to exit Maraetai Bay.
He said as skipper, Newlands had the responsibility of ensuring all passengers' life jackets were worn and done up properly.
Judge Harding acknowledged while Newlands was "in a general sense" a safety-conscious, experienced captain and recreational fisherman, something had gone terribly wrong on what was a beautiful summer's day.
He also noted the conditions that afternoon - recounted by some witnesses as "ferocious and like a washing machine" - were the worst many had ever seen.
"They were clearly risky and dangerous - not a place for three young children."
Unfortunately Newlands' decision to use Maraetai Bay as a launching site - rather than one of several safer alternatives nearby - had "exposed the crew and the boat" to danger.
"Clearly, in the circumstances, it was an error of judgment."
Newlands will be sentenced in Tauranga District Court on March 3.