Hubbard death trial date to be set

JOHN BISSET/Timaru Herald

Allan Hubbard

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A date may be set this week for the trial of the man charged with causing failed financier Allan Hubbard's death 16 months ago.

Hubbard died as a result of a crash on State Highway One at Hilderthorpe, about 8 kilometres north of Oamaru, on September 2, 2011.

Andy Earl, 41, of Mosgiel, has pleaded not guilty to charges of careless driving causing death and careless driving causing injury to Hubbard's wife, Jean.

On Friday, the Oamaru District Court registrar confirmed Earl is to appear in court on Wednesday in order to determine when a hearing will be held.

"We have been liaising with police and defence to set a date. It will probably be in June or July, when the judge is free for four days." The hearing had been set down for December but police requested an adjournment.

At the time Oamaru Police detective sergeant Dan Keno said prosecution and police needed more time to complete inquiries. A prosecution review had identified "a couple of matters" that needed looking into.

Earl was charged in February last year.

The Hubbards, their companies Aorangi Securities and Hubbard Management Funds, along with seven charitable trusts, were placed in statutory management by the Government on June 20, 2010, and a Serious Fraud Office (SFO) investigation was launched the following day.

At the time of his death Alan Hubbard faced 50 fraud charges which were laid by the SFO in June last year. The charges were dropped after his death and Jean Hubbard was released from statutory management.

- © Fairfax NZ News