A Manawatu teenager has had 15 months cut from his jail sentence, due to his remorse for abandoning a badly injured relative in a ditch after a January car crash.
But the cut to Larry Rima Hati's sentence has angered the dead man's father, The Dominion Post reported.
Hati's Ford Falcon crashed into a tree near Palmerston North about midnight on January 11.
He and another cousin fled the scene, leaving the injured 17-year-old Jordan Bowler.
A police search party failed to find Mr Bowler but his father found him lying under bushes near the crash scene nine hours later. The boy died in Wellington Hospital six days later.
Hati, 21, was sentenced in Palmerston North District Court yesterday to two years and one month in prison.
He had pleaded guilty to causing the death of Mr Bowler and driving while disqualified.
Hati had 15 months taken off his sentence for showing remorse and entering early guilty pleas.
Mr Bowler's father, Michael Cribb, said he was angry Hati's sentence was reduced.
He said it felt as though the justice system was laughing at him.
While Hati had apologised to the family, Mr Cribb said he had not apologised because he wanted to but "because his family made him".
