Guilty plea over water skiing death

Genevieve Lewis should have celebrated her 10th birthday last week.
But instead of planning her birthday party, her parents were preparing for yesterday's court appearance involving the man charged in relation to her death.
Wellington real estate agent John James Curtis, 33, has now pleaded guilty in the Taupo District Court to one charge under the Maritime Transport Act of operating a boat in a manner which caused unnecessary danger to Genevieve Maria Elizabeth Lewis.
The Wairarapa 9-year-old was killed when she was run over on Lake Taupo on January 6.
She had been water skiing with her family and had fallen and was waiting for her parents to pick her up when Curtis' boat struck her.
Genevieve's family packed the courtroom yesterday to hear Curtis enter his guilty plea.
In a statement, her parents, Guy and Rose Lewis, said their daughter should have celebrated her 10th birthday last week but instead had lost her chance at life.
"The loss of our wonderful Genevieve has been devastating for our whole family and nothing that happens now will bring her back."
They said they missed their daughter "immensely".
"There are no words to describe the huge gap she has left in our lives and the lives of her brother, wider family and friends.
"We are now keen to see a conclusion to the legal process."
A visibly upset Curtis sat in the gallery before his appearance with his head in his hands.
 He was prepared to take part in restorative justice, his lawyer, Richard Laurenson, said.
Judge Chris McGuire apologised to the family for not being able to deal with the case once and for all yesterday but said more information - including pre-sentence and reparation reports - was needed before he could sentence Curtis.
"You will appreciate that the mechanisms the law has to deal with tragedies of this kind are limited and inadequate."
He said it was up to the family whether they wanted to take part in the restorative justice process but said the experience was that it did help with the healing process.
Judge McGuire remanded Curtis on bail to reappear in the Taupo District Court on July 14 for sentencing.