Teenager jailed for crash that killed his friends

A teenager who killed two close friends in a high-speed, alcohol-fuelled car crash has been sentenced to a jail term of 3 1/2 years for something he cannot remember doing.

Ricky John Smith, 18, was sentenced in the High Court at Auckland on Friday for the manslaughter of Luke Hall and Tyson Bruggy.

Smith sustained a brain injury in the crash and has no memory of it, but pleaded guilty and accepted the summary of facts given by the prosecution.

The crash happened in Waiuku in the early hours of November 13 last year after an evening drinking and driving at high speeds on the open road.

Justice David Baragwanath said Smith, then aged 17, was on a restricted licence and driving with three passengers, including Mr Hall and Mr Bruggy.

About 2.16am Smith became involved in a "cat and mouse" game with another car at speeds at times exceeding 160km/h.

"The vehicles travelled side by side at speeds well over the speed limit and at no less than 148km/h immediately prior to the crash," the judge said.

Smith lost control of his car on a bend and crashed off the road.

A blood sample showed Smith had an alcohol level of 95mg a 100ml of blood, the limit for a driver under 20 being 30mg.

Justice Baragwanath said the nature of Smith's driving was "dangerous in the extreme", endangering the lives of himself, his passengers and other road users.

"As the facts of this case show the hideous death toll on the roads and the increasingly hard line taken by sentencing courts have too often failed to register with young drivers," Justice Baragwanath said.

The kind of shame that attached to hard-drug offending must also attach to risking lives by dangerous driving, as it had the same effect, he said.

"It kills people, mutilates them and destroys their families' peace of mind."

Justice Baragwanath said there was evidence of Smith's previous good character.

"In short, you are a young man with ability and potential, just like the friends who died that night."

He sentenced him to 3 1/2 years' jail, but because of Smith's "acute remorse" did not set a minimum non-parole period. He also disqualified him from driving for five years.

Justice Baragwanath said he understood the submission of Smith's lawyer that the young man's life had been ruined.

He said prison was a place where Smith could face what he had done.

"It is my expectation that you will use your talents, energy and dynamism that you put to such appalling use on this night to create a new life and show your community and those you have wronged that you have learned."

- NZPA