Recidivist drink-driver Howard Latimer couldn't face Hunter Mackenzie's family during his sentencing in the Whangarei District Court. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Recidivist drink-driver Howard Latimer couldn't face Hunter Mackenzie's family during his sentencing in the Whangarei District Court. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Despite pleading for a longer sentence, the family of a Northland pizza deliverer is disappointed a drunk driver who caused his death was sent to jail for less than five years.
It was revealed in the Whangarei District Court yesterday that Howard Latimer had previously served time for manslaughter andhad being convicted on driving offences 15 times before.
The 54-year-old roofer appeared for sentencing on two charges relating to causing a crash in Whangarei that claimed the life of Domino's pizza delivery man Hunter Mackenzie who was knocked off his scooter.
Latimer earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of causing death while driving with an excess blood alcohol level and another of failing to stop to ascertain injury and to render assistance.
About an hour before the crash at the intersection of Dent St and Norfolk St on September 20, last year, Latimer tried to buy alcohol from Liquorland on Walton St but was refused after a staff member thought he was drunk.
Before entering the liquor store, he reversed into a parked vehicle while attempting to park his car outside Liquorland. After he was refused alcohol, Latimer got back in his car and drove along Dent St and collided with the scooter.
Hunter's father Ross Mackenzie, mother Josie Humfrey and sister Cassandra all faced Latimer when tearfully reading their victim impact statements in court yesterday.
Latimer bowed his head throughout the sentencing except for a brief moment when he looked at Humfrey when she questioned whether he was too scared to look at her.
She said Latimer left her son to die on the road and that she had to consent to an autopsy on him.
"He should be charged with murder. What's he going to get? Five years? Two-and-a-half tops for good behaviour. What a crock. What a joke," Humfrey said.
Ross Mackenzie said what made it particularly hard for his family was that Hunter was killed by a drunk driver — a person so stupid, irresponsible and selfish who was already grossly intoxicated but drove to a bottle store to get more alcohol.
"That night Hunter had already finished his shift at Domino's and as there was a backlog of deliveries he took upon himself to do another delivery to help out.
"As a result of your criminal behaviour, you smashed our son, brother and uncle out of existence and drove off leaving Hunter dying on the road," he said.
Judge Greg Davis said Latimer had 34 previous convictions including 15 for driving offences but regrettably their summaries of facts could not be found in the police and justice records.
The intersection where Hunter Mackenzie was killed. Photo / File
Latimer was convicted and sentenced in the High Court in 1994 to one charge of manslaughter and one of common assault.
Davis said refusal by Liquorland staff to sell alcohol should have been to signal for Latimer that he was unfit to drive but he continued regardless.
He sentenced Latimer to four years and five months in jail and disqualified him from driving or obtaining a driver's licence for seven years.
Outside court, Ross Mackenzie said his family would have liked a longer sentence because Latimer was obviously a serial offender who was unlikely to stop offending when he came out of jail.
