Youth on manslaughter charge remanded on bail

Press, 10 December 1982, Page 10

Youth on manslaughter charge remanded on bail

PA Auckland A youth, aged 15, charged with killing a woman by dangerously driving a bus was yesterday described in court as being “cocky and indifferent” after the accident. A police surgeon told the Children and Young Persons Court at Auckland that he examined the youth about 8.30 p.m. on October 13. . The surgeon, whose name was suppressed, said that he found the defendant “relatively co-operative, but rather cocky and very indifferent to the situation that he was in.” After the preliminary hearing, Judge Aubin committed the youth to the High Court for trial on the-charge of manslaughter and to the District Court for trial on the remaining five indictably

laid charges. The Judge adjourned to March 30 a further charge of driving a bus not being the holder of a licence. The youth pleaded not guilty to a charge that on October 13, by an unlawful act, namely by dangerously driving a New Zealand Railways Road Services bus, he killed Angela Frances Millicent Morton and thereby committed manslaughter. He pleaded not guilty to four charges of causing bodily injury to four persons by driving a bus in a manner which was dangerous to the public or any person, on the same date. The youth also denied a charge of unlawfully taking a bus valued at $25,000. the property of the Railways Corporation. After discussions in cham-

bers, the Judge remanded the youth on $lOOO bail with a similar surety to February for trial dates to be set. A condition of bail is that the youth lives with his parents. ; - The charges relate to an accident at the corner of ' Nelson Street and Fanshawe - Street on October 13 in which Mrs Morton died. A bus and - „ three cars were damaged. • The police’surgeon told the >' court earlier that when he ; examined the defendant he • put him through a number of ' simple tests to determine whether he was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. His co-ordination was rela- ; tively good. There was certain evidence that he had taken alcohol, but his clinical state was not greatly affected by it. The doctor said ■ that he found no evidence of 1 obvious drug ingestion.