Born-again Christian killer jailed for 14 years

Worthy Redeemed at his sentencing today. Photo / Ashburton Guardian

A born-again Christian found guilty of manslaughter after three people died when he grabbed the wheel of a car was today jailed for 14 years at Ashburton District Court.

Worthy Redeemed, formerly known as Lee Error Silvester, took hold of the wheel of a car in which he was a front-seat passenger, causing it to veer into the path of the bus near Woodend, north of Christchurch, on May 1, 2010.

The car's driver, Dean Jonathan McCartney, 21, and passengers Jethro Bronson Cooper, 16, and Kodee Marie Rapana, 15, died in the crash.

A jury of five men and seven women took about 4-1/2 hours to find Redeemed guilty of three charges of manslaughter at Wellington District Court last month.

They also found him guilty of two charges of injuring with reckless disregard and one charge of causing grievous bodily harm with reckless disregard.

He was found not guilty of one count of injuring with reckless disregard.

He was ordered to serve a minimum non-parole period of seven years.