Teen cleared of illegal street racing

Raymond Marsh, 19, in the Auckland District Court this morning. Photo / Sarah Ivey

An Auckland teenager has been cleared of racing with another car, which struck a schoolgirl resulting in her having part of a leg amputated.

Raymond Marsh, 19, was discharged after being found not guilty by a jury of eight men and four women at Auckland District Court today of unlawful street racing causing injury to Amy Duncan.

The other driver Kahn Roper, 18, pleaded guilty at North Shore District Court in March to a similar charge, and to driving with excess alcohol.

He was sentenced to 11 months' home detention and ordered to pay Ms Duncan $8000.

Speaking to NZPA outside court, Marsh said justice had been done, but he felt sorry for Ms Duncan whose leg had to be amputated below the knee.

The incident happened in the North Shore suburb of Bayview early on April 10 last year.

Ms Duncan, who was not connected to the racing, was sitting at the side of the road when a car, driven by Roper, lost control and hit her.

During Marsh's trial, his lawyer Geoff Anderson said he had slowed down and was not racing when Roper overtook him and struck Ms Duncan.

But Crown prosecutor Henry Bates said Ms Duncan would not have been hit if it wasn't for his driving.

- NZPA