Father pleads not guilty to manslaughter

A man has pleaded not guilty to a charge of manslaughter after his 6-year-old son died in a fiery crash when their car hit a stopbank in North Canterbury. The man, 30, who was granted interim name suppression during his first court appearance, appeared in the High Court at Christchurch yesterday before Justice Cameron Mander. His lawyer, Andrew McCormick, entered a plea of not guilty to the manslaughter charge on behalf of the defendant. A two-week trial was set down beginning July 26 next year. The man was remanded on bail till September 4. The charge relates to a fiery crash at Lehmans Rd near Fernside, close to Rangiora on November 5. After crashing into a stopbank, the vehicle caught fire, killing the boy. Passersby were able to get the driver out of the car, and he was flown to Christchurch Hospital in a critical condition.