The mothers of Caleb Trembeth and Natalie O'Neill are dismayed that the sentencing of a Wanaka youth who has admitted charges of dangerous driving causing the young people's deaths, and dangerous driving causing injury to two others, has been delayed until July 14.
Hamish William Cox (18) was to have been sentenced in the Queenstown District Court on Monday.
He admitted the charges on May 16, arising from a car crash on Mt Aspiring Rd, near Glendhu Bay, at 11pm on November 24.
Cox was driving. Two of his four passengers, Mr Trembeth (24) and Ms O'Neill (19), died from their injuries.
The Ministry of Justice and the Community Probation and Psychological Service both confirmed the sentencing delay this week.
The Probation Service applied for the adjournment, saying it had not had time to complete a report on home detention options.
The mothers this week contacted the Otago Daily Times to express their dismay. Mr Trembeth's mother, Shona Turnbull, of Wanaka, said she and family members had organised leave for next week so they could attend the sentencing. The family felt the case had been delayed enough.
"It is time New Zealand woke up to the fact we are important, us victims," she said.
Miss Reilly's mother, Cassandra Watson, of Queenstown, said she had hoped her family's ordeal was nearly over.
Dunedin-Invercargill community probation manager Monique Cunningham said in a statement there was "nothing unusual in seeking a further remand for situations where more work is needed or the options such as suitable addresses change just before the original sentencing date". She said the case had "become quite complex".
Home detention was one sentencing option available, and the probation officer needed to ensure there was a suitable address for home detention, where electronic monitoring could operate and other conditions could be met, Ms Cunningham said.
"When the probation officer looked at this further, it became clear that there may be other options and locations that could be suitable . . . The alternative options could not be fully investigated in the time available before sentencing.
"It is very important that the judge receives information about the viability of all the potential sentencing options to assist with decision-making," Ms Cunningham said.
