Driver who killed 'soul mate' in crash forgiven

Duncan Meek in the dock at the Auckland Distrrict Court this afternoon. Photo / Sarah Ivey

A man who admitted causing the crash that killed an Auckland man driving his wife, pregnant daughter and baby grandson home from a family dinner has avoided a jail sentence.

Duncan Meek, 41, pleaded guilty to a charge of aggravated careless use of a vehicle causing the death of Petelo Fa'aeteete on June 30 last year, when he appeared in the
Auckland District Court in November.

Today he was sentenced to 250 hours community work, ordered to pay $3000 to the Fa'aeteete family for emotional harm and disqualified from driving for one year.

Mr Fa'aeteete, 52, was driving his wife Aida, daughter Karen and her six-month-old son Peter home from dinner in the city.

Miss Fa'aeteete was three months' pregnant at the time.

In court this afternoon Judge Tony Fitzgerald said the charge was serious, but took into consideration Meek's early guilty plea and the fact he had attended a restorative justice meeting with members of the Fa'aeteete family.

Mrs Fa'aeteete stood in court to read a victim impact statement and told Meek that while he had shattered her life by causing the death of her soul mate and provider - she forgave him.

She appealed to the judge to give Meek a non-custodial sentence, saying it was bad enough her children were without their father and she did not want to see that happen to another family - temporarily or permanently.

Meek's lawyer Sheila McCabe said he was "deeply remorseful'' and accepted he had made an error of judgement in relation to his driving the day of the crash.

After the sentencing Meek hugged Mrs Fa'aeteete and other family members and the group stood together to say a prayer.

Meek and his partner did not speak to media outside court.