Guilty plea over fatal pursuit

A teenager who admitted manslaughter over a fatal Christchurch pursuit says his friend in the front seat recorded the pursuit on his cellphone.

The 17-year-old, a farm worker who was on a learner licence, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and another charge of reckless driving causing injury in the High Court in Christchurch yesterday morning.

Kenneth McCaul, 64, was killed when his car was T-boned at the intersection of Idris and Glandovey roads in Fendalton shortly after 4am on October 22. The driver ran a red light while fleeing police at speeds as high as 90kmh.

The judge continued the teenager’s interim name suppression as well as his bail. He will be sentenced on December 16.

After the crash, the driver told police that his friends were encouraging him to flee from police and his friend in the front seat recorded the pursuit on his cellphone.

He admitted he breached the conditions of his learner licence by consuming alcohol, carrying passengers, and driving after 10pm.

McCaul’s husband, Owen Fraser, said he did not go to court yesterday because he did not want to see ‘‘the person that killed Kenneth’’.

He was pleased to hear the teen admitted the manslaughter charge.

‘‘It’s really taken the rest of my life away,’’ he said. ‘‘He’s just ruined it all.’’

Fraser said he held no blame towards police for pursuing the fleeing driver. ‘‘The person they were chasing should’ve had enough bloody sense to stop.’’

Members of the teenager’s family were in court. His mother broke down in tears when her son pleaded guilty.

McCaul was critically injured in the crash and died shortly after arriving at hospital.

All five teenagers in the defendant’s care were admitted to hospital. One of them remains in an induced coma and has a broken neck.