Hastings District Council has entered a guilty plea over a tractor-mower death of a 4-year-old boy at Kirkpatrick Park.
A council spokesperson said a not-guilty plea was entered initially "to ensure that all evidence in the case would be disclosed", but it had now decided to change its plea to guilty of breaching the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.
In a statement released today, the council said it had since reviewed its safe operating procedures for all mowing operators and improved the training and supervision of drivers.
Former Hastings District Council tractor driver Ross David Pollock, 73, earlier pleaded guilty to causing the death of Uetaha Dahtanian Ransfield-Wanoa when he was run over by the tractor-mower at the public park in Hastings on October 8, 2013.
On July 11 Pollock was sentenced to six months' home detention, 100 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for three years and ordered to pay $5000 reparation.
He later successfully appealed part of the sentence, meaning the three years' disqualification was quashed and a period of 18 months' imposed in lieu.
The council said it would not comment further until the court process has concluded.
- Hawke's Bay Today
