Our View: Tragedy handled correctly

Sometimes, genuine accidents happen - and they have tragic consequences.
The case of George Fredric Skofic is an example.
Skofic, an English teenager in the country on his OE, was yesterday sentenced in Hamilton District Court after killing Rose-Ana Kingi, 21, and Eruera Eriata Munroe, 22, both of Tauranga, in a head-on smash on State Highway 29 near Karapiro in February.
He was given 300 hours' community work and disqualified for two-and-half years.
So often in these tragic accidents, there are aggravating features.
The offending driver may have been drunk, drugged up, speeding or failing to drive to the conditions.
But in Skofic's case it was a moment of inattention that caused so much heartache. It's something that can so easily happen.
In court yesterday, the judge acknowledged there were no aggravating features although the fact Skofic crossed the centre line meant he was responsible.
Skofic received a lighter sentence because he had an unblemished driving record, was young, remorseful, quickly pleaded guilty, offered to pay the families of his victims reparation and wanted to take part in restorative justice.
But what is also worth noting is the families left to pick up the pieces from this horror did not want him jailed.
Readers will remember Ms Kingi's mother, Tina Mitchell, who bravely spoke to features writer Carly Gibbs in the Bay of Plenty Times Weekend on May 21.
She spoke of her terrible grief and support for government changes to make our roads safer, such as raising the driving age.
Her story made powerful, sobering reading.
This case is a marked change from what can often happen in court. How many times have you read about judges under fire for being too lenient and outrage from victims over the court process, or lack of remorse from offenders?
In this case, the families deserve a huge amount of credit for being so forgiving. It can't have been easy. They have suffered unimaginable losses they will never recover from but as Ms Kingi points out, nothing will bring their loved ones back.
The judge has handled this matter correctly, giving the families what they want and recognising the accident for what it really was - an accident.
Skofic has clearly done what he can to make amends.
His horrific mistake will haunt him and these families for the rest of their lives.