Man admits fatal punch at taxi rank

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An insurance broker from the United Kingdom awaits sentence after he admitted the manslaughter of a Queenstown man when he appeared in the Invercargill District Court yesterday.

Paul Richards, 34, who now lives and works in Queenstown, was stone-faced as he stood in the dock before Judge John MacDonald yesterday and admitted his part in the death of Mark James Smith, 47, at a Queenstown taxi stand on November 19.

During Richards' brief appearance, police prosecutor Sergeant Rob Mills read out a summary of facts, which said Richards had been drinking with associates in Queenstown since late afternoon on the day Mr Smith died.

The six-and-a-half-hour session ended about 11pm when Richards left a bar and walked to a 24-hour convenience store in Camp St, where he bought food.

Richards then walked to the Camp St taxi rank to hail a cab, where an intoxicated Mr Smith was waiting, the summary said.

Neither man knew each other.

Two taxis pulled up and both men walked over to one of the cars, with Mr Smith asking how much it would cost to get to nearby Frankton.

When the driver replied $20, Mr Smith said it was too expensive and walked to the second taxi to ask the same question.

Richards then approached Mr Smith and argued with him.

The dispute escalated and Richards punched Mr Smith in the head with a closed fist, the summary said.

Exchanging pushes, the fight moved on the road as Mr Smith backed away.

Richards then delivered what was described as a "roundhouse" punch to the left side of Mr Smith's neck.

"The blow was of such force that it has caused the victim's head to move sideways in a whiplash fashion and he immediately went limp and fell on to the road."

Mr Smith stopped breathing soon after, the summary said.

Members of the public and then police tried to resuscitate him, but Mr Smith was pronounced dead by paramedics on their arrival.

An autopsy showed Mr Smith had bled internally from a "traumatic" tear to his right vertebral artery, according to the summary.

Richards was spoken to by police at the scene and was later taken to the Queenstown police station for questioning and a videotaped interview.

Witnesses spoken to by police described Richards as the aggressor, the summary said.

Mr Mills noted that Richards, who is single, had never appeared before the New Zealand or UK courts.

Judge Macdonald remanded Richards on bail for sentence in the High Court on February 8, also ordering pre-sentence and reparation reports.

Mr Smith, who was in charge of the roofing division at Laser Plumbing, is survived by his wife Fiona and their two children, aged 11 and 19.

- © Fairfax NZ News