Victim's partner condemns award

www.thecourier.co.uk/febcourierrede/NewStory.cfm?StoryID=33671&Today=160503

Blair.

 

On 16 May 2003 16:16:55 +0100, [email protected] (B.G. Finlay IT Services) wrote:

>www.thecourier.co.uk/febcourierrede/NewStory.cfm?StoryID=33671&Today=160503

You can find it by clicking about a bit but here's the text:

A WORMIT man who lost his partner in a road accident in New Zealand yesterday condemned a
compensation award against a local driver of a few hundred pounds as derisory, and warned a charity
cycling event from the UK which is heading for the southern hemisphere to think again.

What should have been a holiday of a lifetime in March for Wormit couple Duncan Leith (50) and Irena
Riddler (48) ended in tragedy when Irena was killed in a road accident on South Island.

The couple, who had cycled together all over the world, were only one week into a three-week tour of
New Zealand. As they were cycling on State Highway 1, near Seddon in Marlborough, Irena was struck
from behind by a van, thrown from her bike and killed instantly.

Irena had been systems librarian at Dundee University, following education at Blackness Primary and
Harris Academy in Dundee and work with the local authority library service.

Last night, Duncan, who works in Dundee, was incensed to learn from a local detective who had
investigated the case that John Metherell, a nurseryman, had been ordered to make reparation to
Irena’s family of 2000 dollars-about £500-and banned from driving for a year.

He had admitted a charge of careless driving causing death, and the judge, who at an earlier hearing
described the incident as "a slight mistake by a driver which has had appalling consequences", also
noted he had a previous conviction for careless driving.

He said yesterday, "At the very least, the order made by the judge is derisory. This driver was on
an open road, with very little light traffic, when he swerved inwards, inside the white line for
cyclists, and smashed into Irena. He had a three-metre space to go past and this was murder."

Duncan added it was one of the worst cases he had ever heard. "At an earlier stage, he tried to
claim that Irena had swerved out into the road but the evidence suggested otherwise and he admitted
the charge. He had no defence."

He said he had tried to raise a civil action against the driver, but the civil law in such cases in
New Zealand meant there was only a token payment made by the government, which in his case amounted
to only a few hundred pounds.

He said he had serious concerns about a forthcoming charity event to be held in New Zealand
involving cyclists from all over the UK.

"I would absolutely advise these people to think twice. I have cycled all over the world and this
place is hell on earth. Helmets are compulsory, but they are absolutely no use in an accident such
as we experienced."

He thanked the detective who had earlier probed the case, and who had been in touch to inform him of
the sentence handed down to the driver.

"He sympathised with us and knew that we would be appalled by the sentence," added Duncan.

Guy
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