The family of a man killed in a car crash after a rugby club celebration near Kurow, has called on the Kurow community to take some responsibility for what happened.
The Blackler family said the crash in which their son Jarrad (23) was killed has divided the town.
The driver in the May 10, 2015 midnight crash, Regan Edward Laughton (41), of Hakataramea was sentenced in the Timaru District Court today to 11 months home detention, 140 hours community service, and ordered to pay $12,000 in emotional harm to victims.
He had earlier volunteered to pay $20,000 to the Blackler family.
The crash happened after a lengthy celebration of a Kurow Club rugby victory, and Laughton was driving drunk with five passengers, none had seat belts on, when the car rolled throwing them all from the vehicle.
After initially pleading not guilty to multiple charges in last year, he pleaded guilty to five drink-driving charges.
Following the sentencing, during which emotional victim impact statements were made, the Blackler family handed a strongly worded statement to media in which they criticised Laughton and the town of Kurow.
The sentence changed nothing for them and no sentence, however long, would ever compensate for the loss of a much-loved son, brother and friend, the Blacklers said.
There had been many frustrations over their past 19 months as victims, they said.
"But the worst for us has simply been that the person responsible would not do the right, the morally correct thing and face up to his responsibility. Nor show us and the other victims any remorse or even apologise for his actions."
That, in turn, had divided the community of Kurow, and "locals feeling the need to take sides", they said.
"People not being completely honest and feeling pressure not to stand up for the truth and what is just; for fear of an effect on businesses or friendships.
"This should never have been the case, it should only ever have been about the truth. The fact is that this was an avoidable crash - not just "a bit of bad luck" where thankfully one of your own wasn't killed.
"Communities must bear some of the responsibility and do all in their power to stop people making poor decisions and bad judgement calls - especially when a culture for this behaviour has been allowed to develop!
"We implore you to stop this ever happening again!"
