Deliberate crash killer to appeal life sentence

Tony Worrell. Photo / Greg Bowker

Tony Worrell will appeal his murder conviction because he maintains he never intended taking anyone's life the night he killed newlywed Katie Powles in a head-on collision.

Worrell, 50, was sentenced to life in jail yesterday with a minimum non-parole period of 14 years for murdering Mrs Powles.

The 26-year-old married Darren Powles three months before her death. She was driving home from work on Linwood Rd, Karaka, on June 3, 2008 when a suicidal and drunk Worrell drove into her. He was driving on the wrong side of the road and made no attempt to brake or change course.

Justice Pamela Andrews told the sentencing at the High Court at Auckland yesterday the jury clearly rejected a defence submission the diabetic Worrell was suffering from low blood sugar and that, combined with his drunkenness, caused him to drive on the wrong side of the road.

Prosecutors sought a lift from the mandatory 10-year non-parole period for murder because of the "callous" way he tried to draw attention to his plight.

He'd had five episodes of self-harm in less than a year and had only been discharged from hospital on the day of the crash.

Brett Robinson was seriously injured, and has yet to recover from the injuries he sustained when Worrell crashed into him seconds before he ploughed into Mrs Powles' car. He was driving his two young sons home from soccer training when the crash occurred.

Mr Robinson said: "He was not forced to drive into Katie's car and kill her, but he chose to. The choices made were his and his alone. This individual is selfish and self-centred. He has done nothing but take from the community."

Mr Robinson said the convicted man would "wallow in his own self-pity".

Worrell was sentenced to seven years' jail and to 18 months' jail for two counts of attempting to cause intentional damage.

All will be served concurrently.

Justice Andrews said Worrell's actions had a "devastating and profound" effect on his victims.

"It is inescapable that your choice was certainly going to cause serious injury if not death. These people were vulnerable victims."

He was driving drunk and dangerously on the wrong side of the road set on a course of destruction, she said.

Worrell's lawyer, Matthew Goodwin, said Worrell had found prison difficult, especially with his background of self-harm.

Mr Goodwin said it was not accepted Worrell was intent on taking the lives of others that night.

Mrs Powles' family rejected a letter he wrote after the trial but Worrell was hopeful they would see a copy of one sent to Justice Andrews.

In that letter he wrote there wasn't a day that went by he wished he could set the clock back to before the accident.