West Coast teen bought moonshine before death

File photo / Thinkstock

A bootlegger who sold moonshine to a West Coast teen just before he drunkenly stumbled into the path of a car and was killed has appeared in court.

Andrew Perkins, 49, unemployed, had previously planned to defend two charges of selling liquor without a licence but pleaded guilty in Westport District Court yesterday.

Sergeant Mark Harris said three 16-year-olds had bought home-distilled alcohol from Perkins for $20 each at 3am on October 7.

Just over three hours later one of the youths, Buller High School student Thomas Elworthy, was dead.

He was killed instantly after wandering into the path of an oncoming car as he and his friends walked home along Cape Foulwind Road.

Post-mortem tests found 133mg of alcohol per 100ml blood in Mr Elworthy's bloodstream.

In December Perkins sold a 1000ml bottle of moonshine whiskey to two 18-year-old volunteers in a police sting.

The next day police seized 45 litres of ready-to-drink alcohol and 75 litres of alcohol still in the processing stage from Perkins' house.

Defence lawyer Eymard Bradley said a lot of the alcohol was for Perkins' own use and he said he would stop selling it to anyone else.

Judge Chris Somerville said Perkins had 10 previous drink-driving convictions and called for a sentencing report.

He remanded Perkins to August 29 for sentencing.