Richards jailed for two years

Fight at taxi rank led to death

Paul Richards stands in the dock of the High Court at Invercargill this morning as he is sentenced for the death of Mark Smith in Queenstown.

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LATEST: An insurance broker from the United Kingdom was sentenced to two years' jail and ordered to pay $50,000 reparation when he was sentenced today for manslaughter.

Paul Richards, 34, who lived and worked in Queenstown, admitted the manslaughter of Mark James Smith, 47, at a Queenstown taxi stand on November 19.

He appeared for sentence before Justice Lester Chisholm in the High Court at Invercargill. 

The court was packed with people both representing Mr Smith's family and supporters of Richards, who had been working in the resort as an insurance broker.

Richards' defence lawyer Bill Dawkins said mitigating factors were Richards' remorse, his good character and the reparation he offered to pay.

He had no previous convictions in the UK or in New Zealand, Mr Dawkins said. 

Mr Smith's son Callum, in a victim impact statement, described his father as his best friend. 

Richards was a dark hollow shell of a person, he said. 

``You will never know what pain you have inflicted on us.'' 

A summary of facts presented to court in December says 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 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 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 says. 

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

Richards then delivered a ``roundhouse'' punch to the left side of Mr Smith's neck.  Mr Smith stopped breathing soon after, the summary says. 

An autopsy found Mr Smith had bled internally from a ``traumatic'' tear to his right vertebral artery.

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

- © Fairfax NZ News