Teen driver sentenced over fatal crash

The aftermath of the crash on Queen St, Masterton in January.

The teenager whose dangerous driving killed two of his Featherston friends will have to live with the "heart-breaking" effects of his actions for a long time, a judge says.

In Masterton District Court on Wednesday, the parents of the two 15-year-old boys killed in the Masterton crash stepped forward to hug the teen whose "impulsive" driving caused it.

Judge Mary O'Dwyer said the driver, who is now 15, had reached speeds of up to 120kmh on Queen St as he fled from police in a stolen car on January 31.

After losing control, he crashed into a lamppost.

Two of the passengers had to be extracted from the car and later died in hospital. A third received moderate injuries.

Judge O'Dwyer said the effect on the family of the boys who died had been "severe".

"It's heart-breaking to read the statements from family members.

"They have lost their sons in tragic circumstances and have to live their lives with that terrible loss, and it is those families and the wider family members that have to go through that loss all the time."

The teen had admitted smoking half a joint that night and while the amount had not been quantified in the test, there was a "reasonable inference" that it had influenced his driving, the judge said.

At the time of the crash, he had been forbidden from getting behind the wheel after previously being caught driving in Featherston.

The judge said the teen had "acted impulsively and accelerated" on the night of the crash.

"Police followed you for a relatively short distance but then stopped following you because of the dangerous way you were driving the car.

"You reached excessive speeds of almost 120kmh through the town and sped through three stop signs and four raised courtesy crossings designed to slow traffic down."

She said all the charges against him -- two charges of dangerous driving causing death and one of dangerous driving causing injury, failing to stop for police, driving while forbidden, and unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle, had been proven.

She sentenced him to six months' supervision at a CYF residence, with the possibility of early release in November if certain conditions were met.

The judge said she took into account that the teen had admitted being the driver, and was "deeply sorry" for what he had done.

His difficult background meant he was not able to make good decisions, especially when challenged by authority.

"That has been made worse because of your increasing use of substances over the past few years, and that is tied up with the problems in your background."

The teen had been transient, staying at friends' homes at the time of the crash.

He would be dealing with "the reality of what has happened, the reality of knowing that your friends are gone" for a long time, the judge said.

In sentencing him, Judge O'Dwyer said she took into account the fact the teen has been in custody since the crash.