Drunk driver who killed two 'unremorseful'

Norman Fitt, 73, and Deirdre Jordan, 67, were killed when drunk driver Phillip Bannan ran a red light and crashed into their car. Photo / Supplied

Families of two friends killed by a drunk driver who was fleeing police rejected his expressions of remorse today as he was jailed for nine years.

Phillip Bannan, 22 and unemployed, was sentenced in the High Court at Christchurch, after earlier admitting manslaughter. He was ordered to serve at least five-and-a-half years behind bars.

Families of both victims noted he showed no sign of remorse the night he ran a red light on Fitzgerald Avenue on August 26 and killed Deirdre Jordan, 67, and Norman Fitt, 73.

They also noted that he had he had appeared "cocky" at his first court appearances.

The sentencing of Bannan, who pleaded guilty to the two manslaughter charges in the Christchurch District Court on October 1, was about all the disastrous choices he made on August 26 which led to the deaths of two innocent road users.

The court was told Bannan already had two convictions for drink-driving and was disqualified at the time of the accident.

He drank wine during the day at Akaroa on the Banks Peninsula, then drove to Christchurch, drunk and in an unregistered and unwarranted car.

When police gave chase when they saw him speeding at 89km/h on Ferry Road. Bannan stopped along Fitzgerald Avenue, but then took off as he feared his car would be impounded.

He said he was distracted when he went through a red light at Gloucester Street at an estimated 82km/h, colliding with the car containing friends and fitness partners Mrs Jordan, and Mr Fitt.

Mr Fitt died when the car was sent spinning and rolling along the road, Mrs Jordan died on the way to hospital.

Their families paid tribute to them in court, with both described as fit and active, full of life, and caring.

In eight victim impact statements the families described the effects of losing family members who were also friends and confidantes.

Mr Fitt's son Steven Fitt said it was pleasing to see the courts supporting the police fully in their efforts to change the mindset which led people to carry out dangerous and criminal behaviour.

"The sentence will have total public support."

Mrs Jordan's daughter, Melanie Jordan, 41, said: "At this stage of our grieving we cannot find the strength to forgive Philip Bannan. To us he has shown no remorse and has not even said sorry for what he did."

The family hoped that he would reflect in prison on all the sorrow, grief, and sadness he had caused.

The court was told Bannan had offered to meet the families but they had so far declined.

His defence counsel Elizabeth Bulger said the offer was still open. She said he accepted that a substantial prison term would be imposed but asked for it not to be crushing.

Crown prosecutor Tim Mackenzie said that so far, Bannan had proved to be "undeterrable", with a nine-month disqualification imposed only 10 weeks before the crash. He told the court that the families "completely reject" his expression of remorse.

Justice Graham Panckhurst noted that Bannan had 10 convictions for burglary, and two for drink-driving. He had served two prison terms. There was little positive in his pre-sentence report but it showed "an alarming pattern of alcohol use and abuse".

He noted the report writer believed Bannan had not properly accepted responsibility for his actions in relation to the two deaths. The report referred to his "calculated and superficial expression of remorse".

Justice Panckhurst described Bannan's behaviour as "singularly selfish".

He said: "You put the safety and ultimately the lives of other members of the public at serious risk simply because you did not want to accept responsibility for your own actions. Two lives have been lost as a direct result of the risks which you chose to run."

- NZPA