‘Haunted by death’, denied freedom
A 21YEAROLD man says he has been ‘‘haunted’’ by the death of a friend he left for dead, following a motor vehicle crash in 2016.
Shay Robert Richards has been denied parole for his part in the crash which involved theft of petrol, fleeing from a petrol station with reckless driving, driving at speed down a oneway street, and a crash which caused the death of one of his passengers and injury to others.
He began serving a term of three years and three months imprisonment, on February 3, 2017, and became eligible for parole
March 5.
He appeared before the parole board at the Otago Corrections Facility, on March 8.
The sentencing judge described the offending as a ‘‘prolonged, persistent and deliberate course of bad driving’’.
During the parole hearing, Richards said the description of his actions was ‘‘fair’’.
Panel convener Judge Neil MacLean said Richards’ offending had serious consequences.
However, Richards had presented well before the board, albeit somewhat nervous.
consideration on
Richards spoke highly of his impressions of the Dependency Treatment Programme (DTP) course which he commenced in December last year, and he would progress to phase two with a tentative completion date in June this year.
That could be followed by a Medium Intensity Rehabilitation Programme (MIRP) which Richards appeared motivated to do.
Richards outlined his tentative plans for the future, possibly moving into engineering and going into business himself.
To that end, he has done a joinery course and obtained a forklift licence within prison.
Richards said he had been ‘‘haunted by the death of the victim’’.
He has been assessed as a ‘‘medium risk’’ of reoffending, but with a high risk of harm because of the consequences of his serious offending.
Judge MacLean said it was clear at this stage there was considerable work to be done and there would be ‘‘an undue risk’’ if he was released now.
The board would see him again in April 2019.
Richards has a sentence release date of May 2, 2020.