KEY POINTS:
The aunt of an Englishman killed in a collision on the New Zealand phase of his dream trip around the world has urged the court to be lenient with his friend who was driving.
Adam James Birdsey, 23, died when a campervan he was travelling in with four other English tourists collided with a Toyota Hilux Surf on the outskirts of Blenheim on Good Friday.
Mr Birdsey's four friends were injured in the collision.
The occupants of the Toyota, Bruce and Barbara Craig, and their son Jordan, 18, were also injured. Mr Craig and his son were dramatically saved from the burning wreckage of their car by Blenheim winemaker Jason Tripe.
As a result of investigations into the crash, police charged the driver of the campervan, Gloucestershire trainer Alexander MacCallum, with careless driving causing death and six counts of careless driving causing injury.
He appeared in the Blenheim District Court yesterday and was remanded on bail without plea.
Mr Birdsey's aunt, Jane Datoo, of Essex, told the Herald the incident had shocked and saddened his whole family. Mr Birdsey's father, David, had travelled to New Zealand to bring his son's body home.
"I wouldn't presume to speak for any of them, but I hope and pray that the [judge] at Blenheim court will be merciful to Adam's friend who was driving the campervan," Mrs Datoo said.
"I am sure he has been punished enough and he was driving on unfamiliar roads. The lads were in the wrong place at the wrong time."
Mr Birdsey had been travelling with his four friends around the Southern Hemisphere since December 2006.
"Judging by his emails to me ... they were all having a really great time," Mrs Datoo said.
"The fact that they were still together after four months' travelling speaks volumes to me of the strength of their mutual friendship."
Mr Birdsey said on his MySpace web page that his goal was to survive travelling.
The Sun newspaper reported that he had decided to travel the world after finishing his business studies degree at Derby University.
His mother, Sheelagh, told the Sun: "The whole family is still coming to terms with the loss. His dad is in New Zealand and we are both finding it very hard. I can't even find the words to explain how devastated we both are by losing Adam. He was such a lovely boy."
Mr Birdsey was a keen footballer for his local team AC Royals, who are planning a memorial match in his honour.
