Third man sentenced over death of woman hit by trailer

A grieving family spared no sympathy yesterday for the third man to be sentenced in relation to the death of their wife and mother.

Bruce Lloyd Bell, 22, labourer, of Wanaka, had previously denied causing the death of Mary Jan McGuire by operating a trailer recklessly on January 31 last year.

Yesterday, on what was to be the first day of a jury trial in the High Court at Dunedin, Bell admitted an alternative charge of causing Mrs McGuire's death by driving a Ford Courier utility, towing a trailer, at a speed or in a manner which was or might have been dangerous to the public.

Justice Lester Chisholm sentenced Bell to 250 hours community work, 12 months supervision, ordered him to pay $5000 reparation to the McGuire family and disqualified him from driving for 18 months.

Mrs McGuire, 47, was struck and killed by a runaway defective trailer as she walked the family dog in Wanaka.

She died almost instantly and the dog was put down a short time later.

Bell was driving the utility that was towing the trailer. Bell's employer at the time, Kevin John Capell, 52, of Hawea, his company and a former employee, Gordon Kenneth Anderson, 55, drainlayer, of Cromwell, pleaded guilty to causing Mrs McGuire's death by recklessly operating a dual axle trailer.

They were sentenced in the High Court in October.

Mrs McGuire's eldest daughter, Rachael Jan Brown, 27, turned to Bell while addressing the court during sentencing yesterday. He did not meet her eyes.

"You are a gutless, spineless man and have no sympathy from our hundreds of family, extended family and all our friends," Mrs Brown said.

"You, Mr Bell, have made this living hell last for months longer that it should have."

Mrs McGuire's husband, Laurence, said the set of events that took his wife were inexcusable.

Justice Chisholm said Bell had admitted knowing the trailer had not been registered or warranted for many years and the safety chain was not able to be attached because the D shackle was missing.

- NZPA