Former cop sentenced to 9 months home detention over cyclist death

By 1news.co.nz

A former Auckland police officer has been sentenced to nine months home detention after killing a cyclist while off duty, and drunk.

Jada Manase, 21, pleaded guilty last year to a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol causing death and careless driving.

While driving a Nissan pick-up truck, she hit and killed 69-year-old cyclist Brian Lane while he was cycling on Stancombe Road, Flatbush about 8am on September 17.

Her vehicle drifted into the cycle lane and collided with Lane, before hitting four vehicles – two were eventually written off.

She was over the legal breath alcohol limit – 600 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath – one-and-a-half-times the legal limit.

Read More

• Police officer admits drink driving, killing Auckland cyclist
• Off-duty cop stood down after crash kills cyclist

Manase was off duty at the time and was stood down while the Independent Police Conduct Authority and Police Serious Crash Unit investigated.

She has since lost her job – she graduated from police college in February 2021.

The public gallery at the Manukau District Court was full of Manase’s friends and family.

At the sentencing today, the court heard from the sister of Brian Lane, Jennifer Keene, who attended by video link from the UK.

A Victim Support person spoke on her behalf.

“It was a terrible shock to hear of his passing,” she said.

“My son and I paid a considerable amount for affairs to get to New Zealand as soon as possible to organise a fitting funeral,” she said.

“It was extremely stressful.”

She paid tribute to her brother, describing him as a triathlete who was just going about his morning cycle.

He had only just retired, and had many plans for the future, she said.

Jada Manase would have to live with the consequence of killing someone through her reckless actions and how she has let her police colleges down.

“She was a person who has to be held more accountable than others, she was fully aware of the law around driving under the influence of alcohol,” Crown prosecutor Aminiasi Kefu said.

“As a police officer she has a higher standard expected from the public.”

She had already paid reparations for the damaged cars, he said.

Defence lawyer Todd Simmons described Manase’s decision to drive as a “terrible lapse of judgement”.

He said his client was out with girlfriends the night before and had stopped drinking at 2am.

Later that morning, she went to a friend’s house for breakfast.

“She thought she had sobered up – on that basis she thought it was ok to drive.”

Prior to sentencing, Judge David McNaughton, acknowledged Manase’s father wrote a formal apology letter on behalf of the family.

That had been accepted.

However, Jude McNaughton said he would not see her employment as a police officer as an aggravating factor in his sentencing decision.

“This was not offending in the course of duty, this was not a breach of trust situation,” he said.

“Your employment as a police officer… does not relate to the offending itself.”

He acknowledged her early guilty plea and supporting references from friends and family.

“You accept full responsibility, you acknowledged the loss of life… you make no excuses,” he said.

“I accept your remorse is entirely genuine.”

He sentenced Manase to nine months home detention.

She was disqualifed from driving for two years.

“Police hold our people’s conduct to high standards regardless of whether they are at work or off duty,” Inspector Matt Srhoj said.

“Her decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol was inexcusable and it has had fatal consequences.”