Death of a schoolboy
Stephen Dudley died in 2013 after he was punched repeatedly by two teenage brothers at a West Auckland rugby field. Coroner Gordon Matenga found one of the teen’s punches directly led to Stephen’s death. Now, Stephen’s family are calling for a manslaughte
The family of a schoolboy who died after a violent assault at rugby training are calling for a manslaughter charge to be laid after the Coroner ruled the actions of another teen was “the most significant factor” in his death.
Stephen Eruwera Dudley died on June 6, 2013 after he was punched repeatedly by two teenage brothers at a West Auckland rugby field.
Stephen, 15, suffered cardiac arrhythmia during the assault and was rushed to Auckland City Hospital. Despite frantic attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead on arrival.
The brothers were initially charged with manslaughter.
But after medical examinations revealed an undiagnosed heart condition, the Crown withdrew the charge, saying it could not be determined whether the assault contributed to Stephen’s death.
In 2014 the brothers pleaded guilty to assaulting Stephen and were discharged without conviction and granted name permanent suppression.
Last year, just after the third anniversary of Stephen’s death, Coroner Gordon Matenga held an inquest.
Yesterday he released his report, and found that while Stephen may have had an underlying heart condition, his death was the direct result of “stress associated with physical assault”.
“[The brothers] assaulted Stephen by punching him several times to his body,” Coroner Matenga said.
“If the [undiagnosed condition] was the underlying cause . . . why did it not cause an arrhythmia . . . during the pre-training argument between [the 16-year-old] and Stephen where there was emotional and psychological stress; or during training with the physical stress that placed on Stephen?
“The assault, consisting of a heavy blow to the neck and then a series of punches to the torso, must have been the factor which precipitated the arrhythmia”.
Lawyer Nikki Pender, who represents the Dudley family, welcomed the inquest findings.
“Finally, someone independent has looked at all the evidence and given them answers as to what happened,” she said.
“The Dudley family will be asking the Solicitor-General to review this case in light of the Coroner’s findings with the aim of laying a manslaughter charge.”
Speaking exclusively to the Herald yesterday Brent and Mona Dudley said they were happy with the findings.
“We have always known that it was that assault that caused our son’s death,” said Brent Dudley.
Brent Dudley said his son was seen by witnesses laughing and joking as he left rugby practice.
It wasn’t until he was “coward punched” that his health fatally deteriorated.
“We are happy [the] Coroner saw it the same way that we do.”
The couple said they “strongly believe” the older teenager, who delivered the blow to the neck, needed to be held to account.
“He was a senior student . . . he could have neutralised the situation with minimal effort and everyone would have gone home safely that night.”
The couple remain devastated over their son’s “brutal” death.
“There is not a single day that goes by that we don’t miss him,” said Mona Dudley.
Pender said the reason the Crown withdrew the manslaughter charge had been “debunked”.
“Which is why the Dudley family want the Solicitor-General to consider whether a manslaughter charge could now be brought,” she said.
“The criminal justice system has let down everyone involved with this case by failing to lay charges which properly reflect the seriousness of the circumstances.
“As a result, Stephen’s death has been trivialised.”