Castle Hill crash: Overseas visitor pleads guilty to causing death of school librarian

A 47-year-old man visiting New Zealand from overseas has pleaded guilty to a charge of causing the death of a school librarian following a crash in the Canterbury village of Castle Hill.

His name and the country he is from cannot yet be reported.

Sue Johnson, the librarian at John Paul II High School in Greymouth, was with her husband Ian - principal of St Patrick’s School in Greymouth - when they were involved in the crash on West Coast Rd on Sunday January 14.

Ian Johnson and four other people were injured in the crash which happened just before 5pm.

Last week police confirmed that a man had been charged with one count of careless or inconsiderate vehicle operation causing the death of Sue Johnson and one of careless or inconsiderate vehicle operation causing injury to her husband.

The man appeared in the Christchurch District Court this morning before Judge Katie Elkin.

The visitor to New Zealand pleaded guilty today. Photo / George Heard

He was granted interim name suppression on the basis the situation was “still raw” and he had not had a chance to tell either his family or the company he worked for.

Court documents reveal he lives overseas - but his lawyer sought that the specifics of his address be suppressed for now.

The man was called to the dock, accompanied by a translator, just after 11.45am and immediately entered guilty pleas through his lawyer - who appeared in court by audio visual link from Auckland - to both charges.

He sought dates for the killer driver for both sentencing and a Restorative Justice conference.

Judge Elkin set his sentencing date for February 15 at 11.45am.

She ordered a number of reports be provided to the court before that date.

She granted the offender bail on three conditions - that he did not drive a vehicle, that he surrendered his passport and that he did not apply for any travel documents.

John Paul II principal Renee Hutchinson earlier told the Herald that Johnson will be “sadly missed.

“Sue was known for her good humour and laughter,” Hutchinson said.

“Sue was a valued member of our staff who enjoyed working with our students in her role as librarian.

“She worked hard to make the library a safe and inclusive space for all students.”