Wife’s guilty plea six years after death
A last minute guilty plea by a woman charged with killing her husband has been welcomed by members of the dead man’s family. Bruce Mouat died in July 2011 of a blunt force head injury after falling down concrete steps outside the front door of his South Taranaki home and hitting his head on a concrete paver at the bottom.
A 2012 coroner’s report into the 48-year-old’s death found there had been no foul play involved but five years later, Susan Elizabeth Mouat was arrested and charged with manslaughter.
She pleaded not guilty in November 2016 and her trial was due to begin in the High Court at New Plymouth on Monday. However, before the trial could start, she changed her position and entered a guilty plea to the manslaughter charge, admitting she had pushed her husband before he fell down the stairs.
Outside of court, Simon Harrison, family spokesman for Bruce Mouat’s family, said the plea change had been a relief and meant they no longer had to sit through a trial.
‘‘The family are very grateful that this has come to a conclusion in the way that it has,’’ he said.
Harrison paid tribute to the efforts of Detective Guy Jackson, of the Taranaki CIB, and the Crown prosecutor Justin Marinovich for persevering with the case.
While Harrison wouldn’t be drawn on the family’s view of the defendant at this time, getting a conviction in the case was ‘‘very satisfying’’. ‘‘The sentence is not going to change anything but this come true to stand beside his All Black hero, Williams, for the first time.
‘‘I’ve always wanted to meet him and this was really great to be able to do it,’’ he said.
‘‘He’s my second favourite All Black after Rieko Ioane, I really like the way he offloads and as well his tattoos.’’
For young Tukapa under-nine players Nate Werder, and Robbie Corlett, it doesn’t get any better than is a little bit of closure for the family in getting this conviction standing next to Williams. ‘‘I’ve always to to meet him,’’ they said.
Dad, Jarrod Werder, said his son had played in Palmerston North on the weekend and was pretty tired.
‘‘But nothing was going to stop him coming down tonight.’’
Under the concourse of the TSB Stand at the stadium, hundreds of children and their parents were entertained by a second group of All Blacks.
‘‘What is your favourite thing you today,’’ he said. Harrison said Bruce, who was also his brotherin-law, will be remembered as a ‘‘good guy’’ who was loved by those who knew him. He was also a ‘‘hell of a good father’’ to his two children, who were also in court for Monday’s proceedings, Harrison said. like about playing rugby?’’ one young boy asked the players, including Codie Taylor, Rieko Ioane and Anton Leinert-Brown.
‘‘Travelling the world,’’ Taylor replied.
Another boy asked McKenzie why he always smiled when he took a kick at goal.
‘‘I’m thinking of my Mum,’’ he said. The All Black party arrived on Monday and will train privately throughout the week.
In Coroner Tim Scott’s findings, released in February 2012, he found Bruce Mouat, who was a mountaineer and leader of the Taranaki Alpine and Cliff Rescue team, died of a head injury days after falling down concrete steps outside the front door of his Hawera home on July 16, 2011, and hitting his head on a concrete paver at the bottom.
He was taken to Hawera Hospital, transferred to Taranaki Base Hospital and then flown to Wellington Hospital on where he remained until his death on July 27.
Tickets are still selling in all parts of the ground, with a few still left in the covered Yarrow Stand.
The Argentinian team, Los Pumas, arrives on Thursday.
New Plymouth District Council has organised an Argentinianthemed festival at Huatoki Plaza on Friday midday with food, music and tango dancing. Argentinian Ambassador Fausto Lopez Crozet would also attend.
Council staff have worked with
Scott’s findings said there had been rumour and speculation over the death and Susan Mouat had hugged her sister-in- law at the funeral and said ‘‘how does it feel to hug a murderer?’’. She later told the coroner she could not remember saying that and if she had it would have been said in ‘‘black humour’’. At the time, Scott said police concluded there was no evidence she was actively involved in her husband’s death. Following Susan Mouat’s guilty plea, Justice Peter Churchman remanded her on bail to reappear for sentencing on October 13.
Nate Werder, 9, and Robbie Corlett, 9, both got to meet Sonny Bill Williams. Sonny Bill Williams with Nicole Whittle, 15, Emma Cathie, 15, and Chloe Sampson, 14.
bars, hotels and retailers to ensure the public would be well catered for during the week long test build-up and on match day. A blue line, last seen at the Rugby World Cup, will be repainted to help lead fans from the city to Yarrow Stadium, as well as food stalls and entertainment from the clock tower to the venue.
Egmont St between Ariki and King Streets will be closed from 9am on Saturday, September 9 to 9am the following morning.