The Star: August 01, 2019
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
news online at www.star.kiwi<br />
Thursday <strong>August</strong> 1 2<strong>01</strong>9 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong><br />
NEWS 5<br />
Grieving mother finally gets apology<br />
• By Sophie Cornish<br />
ANGELA O’CONNOR has<br />
finally got what she asked for<br />
– an apology from the drunk<br />
driver who killed her daughter.<br />
In the High Court at Christchurch<br />
on Friday, Darrin Ray<br />
Stewart stood in the witness box<br />
and read an emotional apology<br />
letter to Miss O’Connor and her<br />
family.<br />
Stewart was sentenced to<br />
three-and-a-half years in prison<br />
on charges on manslaughter,<br />
three charges of reckless driving<br />
causing injury, failing to stop or<br />
ascertain injury, and failing to<br />
stop for a police officer.<br />
A tearful Stewart said: “ It was<br />
disgusting of me what I did. I<br />
was not in a fit state to drive, the<br />
outcome was the worst that I can<br />
think of . . .”<br />
Last week <strong>The</strong> <strong>Star</strong> revealed<br />
Miss O’Connor was waiting for<br />
an apology from Stewart for her<br />
18-year-old daughter, Alexia<br />
Noble’s, death.<br />
Miss Noble was a killed on<br />
November 16 when the car<br />
Stewart was driving drunk and<br />
high crashed into a building at<br />
a school on Gloucester St. He<br />
fled before emergency services<br />
arrived.<br />
While Miss O’Connor says she<br />
accepts the apology, she will not<br />
forgive Stewart and is not happy<br />
with the length of the jail term he<br />
received.<br />
“I’m not happy with the sentencing<br />
but there is nothing we<br />
can do about that. When people<br />
are killed, people get off too<br />
lightly.<br />
“You take a life, you should<br />
do life. <strong>The</strong>se car crashes are not<br />
stopping, there was one again<br />
last night that came down our<br />
street,” she said.<br />
Miss O’Connor said she and<br />
her family would have liked to<br />
see Stewart’s sentence start at<br />
seven years imprisonment.<br />
She said some of her family<br />
members, including Miss Noble’s<br />
twin brother Zackery, who was<br />
also involved in the crash, was<br />
taking the sentencing “really<br />
bad.”<br />
Previously Miss O’Connor said<br />
she wasn’t interested in engaging<br />
in a restorative justice meeting<br />
with Stewart. She is now considering<br />
it.<br />
“Not right now, but you never<br />
know,” she said.<br />
Stewart was also disqualified<br />
from driving for five years.<br />
Defence counsel Anselm Williams<br />
said Stewart had always<br />
expressed his sorrow<br />
UNFORGIVING:<br />
Angela O’Connor<br />
with a portrait<br />
of her daughter<br />
Alexia who was<br />
killed when the<br />
drunk driver of<br />
the car she was<br />
in crashed after<br />
fleeing police,<br />
then ran away.<br />
PHOTO: MARTIN<br />
HUNTER<br />
and remorse, but there had<br />
been no opportunity to give<br />
his apology to the family until<br />
then.<br />
“I think of ways that I could<br />
change what has happened, and<br />
it hurts me that I cannot bring<br />
her back. I did not do the right<br />
thing once the accident happened<br />
and I am sorry for this.<br />
Alexia and I were best buds at<br />
work and the memories we have<br />
are amazing.<br />
“What hurts me the most is<br />
that she is gone. I really can’t<br />
explain how sorry I am to you<br />
all,” Stewart told the court.<br />
DARRIN STEWART’S<br />
APOLOGY<br />
To the family and friends<br />
of Alexia.<br />
I am deeply sorry that<br />
this has happened. It hurts<br />
me everyday.<br />
Not a minute of every<br />
hour goes past that I don’t<br />
think of her.<br />
It was disgusting of me<br />
what I did.<br />
I was not in a fit state to<br />
drive the outcome was the<br />
worst that I can think of.<br />
I think of ways that I<br />
could change what has<br />
happened, and it hurts<br />
me that I cannot bring her<br />
back.<br />
I did not do the right<br />
thing once the accident<br />
happened and I am sorry<br />
for this.<br />
Alexia and I were best<br />
buds at work and the<br />
memories we have are<br />
amazing.<br />
What hurts me the most<br />
is that she is gone.<br />
I really can’t explain how<br />
sorry I am to you all.<br />
Please accept my<br />
apology.<br />
– Darrin Stewart<br />
FLOOR COVERING<br />
BARGAINS<br />
Do you have doubts your<br />
earthquake repairs have<br />
been done properly?<br />
Iowa - Feltex<br />
Galway - Belgotex<br />
• Luxury 50oz solution dyed polyester<br />
• Extra heavy duty<br />
• 2 great colours<br />
• In stock now<br />
• Stunning value<br />
ONLy $109m<br />
Thats just $29.79m 2<br />
• 48 oz cut pile solution dyed nylon<br />
• Scoop purchase<br />
• Extra heavy duty<br />
• 4 Metre wide carpet<br />
• 3 Exceptional colours<br />
• Exceptional value!<br />
ONLy $149m<br />
Thats just $37.25m 2<br />
PLUS<br />
MUCH<br />
MORE<br />
INSTORE<br />
47 Gasson Street • Ph 353 8899 • Hours: 8.30am-5pm Mon-Fri<br />
www.theflooringwarehouse.co.nz<br />
Don’t leave it until it’s too late.<br />
Sign up with us for a free foundation report.<br />
Claims Resolution Service Ltd<br />
Ph: 03 377 8855 | 130 Ferry Road, Christchurch<br />
E: reception@earthquakeservices.co.nz | W: www.earthquakeservices.co.nz<br />
NO WIN<br />
NO FEE
Change language