Deadly driver was overstayer and repeat offender

By LOUISA CLEAVE

A 20-year-old student who repeatedly ignored fines for unlicensed driving continued to drive until he ran a red light and killed a woman on Easter Sunday.

Jiang Kai Liao, an overstayer from China since last September when his student visa expired, yesterday pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of Anne Lester, 63, and driving while forbidden.

The Auckland District Court heard that police had issued Jiang with three $400 tickets for unlicensed driving since last June.

He was stopped in June, October and March - just a month before the Mt Roskill crash that claimed the life of Ms Lester.

Outside court, police said the previous tickets were not detected because Jiang gave slightly different versions of his name each time.

Jiang also provided a different address each time and was driving different vehicles.

Ms Lester's devastated family said the Government should take a tougher approach to student visa holders who flouted the law.

"For the few who are misbehaving the family would have no objection to a change in the law ... whereby holders of student visas are automatically asked to leave the country if they commit a serious crime or traffic offence," the family said through a spokesman.

"If they are driving whilst unlicensed or dangerously they should be kicked out."

Ms Lester was on her way to prepare for a dawn meditation service when her car was hit by Jiang's vehicle at the intersection of Dominion Road and Mt Albert Rd about 4am on April 11. Jiang was driving a Honda Prelude with two passengers not wearing seatbelts, and did not have his headlights on when he went through a red light.

The police serious crash unit estimated he was travelling no less than 80km/h when he hit Ms Lester's Mazda Capella in the driver's door.

She had been driving at 52km/h but the impact gave her little chance of survival and she died at the scene.

Jiang offered no explanation for his actions when he was interviewed by police. In opposing bail, police noted he gave the impression he "has a given right to be a driver of a vehicle on the roads".

Jiang understood English reasonably well and "consistently ignored the Transport Act" and police prohibitions placed upon him.

The Lester family said they had strong Christian values and "no feelings of vengeance" but were angry that Jiang showed no remorse.

"One can only infer that he considers himself to be above the law, to be able to misbehave in this country with impunity," the family spokesman said.

The family believes Jiang's method of deception is being used by other visa holders to avoid detection.

Ms Lester came to New Zealand 16 years ago from Zimbabwe with her son Robert, now aged 18. They had no other family in New Zealand.

She was a registered nurse and had worked for Barnardos.

Ms Lester most recently worked as a caregiver to children of several families and was interested in natural holistic health therapies and treatment, her family said.

They rejected a statement by Jiang's lawyer, Marie Dyhrberg, who said in court he had written a letter expressing his sorrow.

"The family has not received any correspondence from him."

Judge Stan Thorburn agreed to have the case referred for restorative justice and remanded Jiang to May 7 for sentencing.

An Immigration Service spokesman said Jiang would be removed at the end of his sentence.

Police would not comment until the concerns highlighted by the family had been studied. "We need to gather more detail about the case," a spokeswoman said.