Teenage son admits killing father with single 'tragic shot'

A wedding anniversary celebration ended tragically before it even began in May when Northland farmer Brian Adams was accidentally shot dead by his teenage son, the Whangarei District Court heard yesterday.

Colin Adams, 17, admitted a charge of carelessly using a firearm causing his father's death on their Puhipuhi farm, 30km north of Whangarei, on May 16.

Brian Adams had been in a car with his wife Shona as they were leaving the farm to celebrate their wedding anniversary.

In what Colin Adams' lawyer Arthur Fairley described as "a tragic shot", the teenager had picked up his father's 6.5mm hunting rifle and it discharged through a glass window in the family's lounge.

The bullet travelled 100m before entering the car through its roof as the vehicle was going up the farm's driveway away from the house.

Brian Adams died from a single wound to his head.

His son was yesterday remanded on bail by Judge Thomas Everitt for a presentence report and sentencing on October 24.

Mr Fairley said later that Brian Adams' death had been traumatic for the family and particularly for Colin, who had to deal not only with the death of his father but with the legal consequences.

Mr Fairley said he and the family were "pleased" with the charge of careless use of a firearm causing death "for obvious reasons".

The teenager's sentence was still to come but he was hopeful that the court would look favourably at his client's situation and the victims, who were not just his father but the family, Mr Fairley said.

Colin Adams had been bailed to the family dairy farm, where the family were finding it hard to cope, said Mr Fairley. "His father was the farmer."

Mr Fairley said Colin was to take up a new job in a plumbing firm today.

"He's a very nice young man. It's a terrible tragedy because there was a particularly close relationship between father and son."

Whangarei Detective Inspector Chris Scahill, who led the police investigation into Brian Adams' death, told the Herald yesterday no further charges would be laid against Colin Adams.

This followed legal opinions from the police legal section and the Crown.