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An Auckland man charged over the death of his two children at sea pleaded guilty today to alcohol and drug offences.
Lindsay Rowles will be sentenced on August 26 over the offences, which occurred after a boating tragedy in the Hauraki Gulf on Anzac Day last year.
Rowles admitted in North Shore District Court today to driving with excess breath alcohol last September, and possessing drug utensils and cannabis last month.
However, he maintained a not guilty plea to operating a vessel causing unnecessary danger or risk and was remanded at large to reappear for an estimated four-day hearing beginning on November 24.
That charge was laid by Maritime New Zealand, following the deaths of his eight-year-old daughter, Erina, and five-year-old son, Travis, when the family's 7.3-metre boat sank near Shag Island.
Rowles, 54, also pleaded not guilty to indecent assault, cruelty to an animal, and offensive behaviour.
Those three counts relate to an incident in February when Rowles is alleged to have grabbed a pet mouse from a women's cleavage and bitten off its head.
A hearing into those charges was set down for October 17.
For all matters apart from the one involving Maritime NZ, Rowles was remanded on bail.
- NZPA
