A brief hug that spoke volumes
‘‘Carelessness at the bottom of the scale but with such devastating consequences.’’
The most poignant moment of the sentencing of 76-year-old Alison Cooper, who hit and killed retired cop Aporo Joyce on a pedestrian crossing in June, happened after it was all over.
Cooper, who did not see Joyce, 79, and hit him with her car, hugged Joyce’s widow Brenda for a moment after the judge left the courtroom.
They had met earlier at a restorative justice meeting, which played a large part in the sentencing before Judge James Johnston in Porirua District Court in late December.
The judge said he was humbled by the compassion showed by Joyce’s family to Cooper’s.
She had pleaded guilty to one charge of careless use of a motor vehicle causing death.
Cooper had hit Joyce as he was crossing Main Rd in the Wellington suburb of Tawa on June 21. She never saw him and ended up driving over him, coming to a stop on top of him.
The judge sentenced Cooper to pay $4000 in emotional harm reparation and disqualified her from driving for six months.
The restorative justice process made the kind-hearted nature of the Joyce wha¯nau clear, the judge said.
‘‘It was made it clear they held no anger or resentment, that it was an unfortunate accident and provided closure to those who were there.’’
The loss of Cooper’s driver’s licence will have a significant impact on her, and her mobility, but it was accepted as the conse- quences of her actions, Judge Johnston said.
‘‘Prior to this you lived a totally blameless life.’’
The judge said he had also received a victim impact statement from Joyce’s wife Brenda, who missed her husband every day and was thankful for the 50 years they spent together
Cooper’s lawyer Elizabeth Hall said it was an example of a moment’s inattention.
‘‘Carelessness at the bottom of the scale but with such devastating consequences.’’
Cooper offered everything she had in reparation gladly, Hall said.
It was a testament to the families that they were able to meet in such a positive way and express their loss and come forward in support of each other, she said. There had been a restorative justice meeting that produced a very positive report to the judge.
Brenda Joyce had described her husband as a ‘‘no-nonsense man’’ who grew the most incredible sunflowers.
She had been thinking about his upcoming 80th birthday.
Joyce, from the Nga¯ Puhi iwi, was well known in Porirua for both his policing work and his community spirit.
Known as ‘‘Ap’’ or ‘‘Koro Ap’’ by his family, he could relate to any ethnic group, his wife said.
Joyce started his police career in Auckland before being transferred to Wellington where he was a member of the armed offenders squad and dog squad.
He chose to be stationed in Waitangirua, then Cannons Creek, where he focused on helping the area’s young people.