The Appeal Court in a judgment, said this appeal raised important issues of principle concerning sentencing for offences of reckless or dangerous driving causing death.

On April 13, this year Hon Mr Justice Niu sentenced the accused to seven and a half-years imprisonment for dangerous driving causing death and dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm.

He refused to suspend any part of the head sentence.

The Court said, the Attorney General did not oppose the appeal and by notice on July 21 this year agreed that the sentence imposed was wrong in principle and manifestly excessive.

Offending

On August 11, 2020 the appellant spent several hours drinking spirits with friends. About 9:45 p.m., when he was described by one of his friends as 'drunk', he drove his vehicle with a passenger along Hihifo Road towards Nuku'alofa. 

The vehicle was estimated to be travelling between 80 and 100 km/h (in a 70 km/h zone) when he decided to overtake a slower moving vehicle in front. 

In doing so, the appellant's vehicle collided head-on with a smaller vehicle travelling in the opposite direction. The collision occurred at a point approximately parallel to the vehicle the appellant was overtaking. 


The driver of the other vehicle died instantly. His front seat passenger, the foster daughter of the deceased, suffered serious fractures to both legs which required surgery and resulted in some residual disability. 

The appellant lost consciousness at the scene while his passenger was able to free himself ffrom the vehicle unharmed. Due to the appellant's condition, the police were unable to conduct a breathalyser test. Later, when questioned, the appellant chose to remain silent, said the Court.

In the instant case, the appellant's conduct involved a number of the aggravating factors within the 'highly culpable standard of driving at time of offence' category, including drinking alcohol to the point of being observed as 'drunk and excessive speeding, among others.

Ill fate

The Court said as the evidence suggests, the offending here involved only the one ill-fated attempt to overtake at a time and place relative to the vehicle being overtaken and the proximity of the deceased's oncoming vehicle which made the attempt patently unsafe. 

"To reflect the totality of the offending which resulted in the death of one and serious injury to another, we consider it appropriate to add one year from the grievous bodily harm sentence to the starting point for the death count, resulting in a total starting point for the head sentence of eight-years' imprisonment."

For his early guilty plea, good previous record, remorse demonstrated by very meaningful reparations to the family of the deceased and the other victim and their forgiveness, the Court reduced it to five-years' imprisonment. 


"Ultimately, the major consideration is whether a suspension is likely to aid in the rehabilitation of the offender. 
That this was, at the age of 55, his first criminal offence and that he had already taken steps towards rehabilitation by attending an alcohol and drugs awareness program prior to sentencing, warranted partial suspension. "

The Court then allowed the appeal and quashed the Supreme Court judge's sentence.

In substitution, he was sentenced to five-years' imprisonment for the two offences. The final two-years was then suspended for two-years from his release from prison, on condition that he does not to commit any offence punishable by imprisonment.

“He must continue to receive alcohol and drug rehabilitative counseling in prison, and is disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for three-years effective from April 13 this year,” ordered the Court.