Home detention for teen who left girlfriend to die

Photo / file

A Westport teen who crashed his car and left his girlfriend "to die with strangers" has been sentenced to 10 months' home detention.

Clark Pablecheque, 17, was sentenced at Westport District Court yesterday after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death, driving with excess breath alcohol, threatening to do grievous bodily harm and failing to report a car accident, Fairfax Media reported.

Harmony Wihongi, 16, died on October 24 last year, after the car driven by Pablecheque, then 16, failed to take a corner and rolled several times.

Pablecheque threatened to stab a passing motorist who told him not to leave the scene.

Ms Wihongi called out to Pablecheque in the minutes before her death, but he ran off before police arrived.

He was later found by police and breath tested, returning a reading of 453 micrograms per litre of breath.

Jade Wihongi, the victim's sister, told the court she was disgusted that Pablecheque had threatened a man helping "my little sister, as she lay dying on the side of the road".

Judge John Strettell said Pablecheque was remorseful.

"The defendant has a life to live in future but it will always be a life in which the tragedy he caused will be recalled in his mind, and that remains the greatest penalty that he must endure," he said.

Pablecheque was also sentenced to 300 hours community work and disqualified from driving for four years.

He was ordered to pay Ms Wihongi's family $5000 in emotional harm reparation.

- NZPA