The Hasting City Council has pleaded not guilty in court regarding the tragic death of a 4-year-old boy.
The Hastings District Council has pleaded not guilty to a charge relating to the death of a 4-year-old boy in last year's tractor-mower tragedy.
The council denied the charge at Hastings District Court yesterday, relating to section 15 of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, under which employers
need to take all practicable steps to ensure that no action or inaction of any employee while at work harms any other person.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of a $250,000 fine.
Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the council had entered a not guilty plea to ensure "full discovery" of the case, thus enabling the full disclosure of evidence from the Government's workplace safety agency, WorkSafe, who is prosecuting the council.
Despite the not guilty plea the council still had the ability to change their plea at a later date, he said.