For the first time in New Zealand, a person has been charged with manslaughter over a forestry death.
The Horowhenua man, 46-year-old Paul Burr, has been charged with the manslaughter of a 20-year-old forestry worker Lincoln Kidd in December last year.
Burr told the Levin District Court yesterday that he will plead not guilty to the charge when he appears at the Palmerston North High Court in September.
Police allege Burr was operating a Volvo tree-felling mechanical harvester with a warratah head, and that he failed to take “reasonable precaution or care to avoid danger” resulting in Kidd’s death.
A tree fell on to Kidd, smashing his skull and breaking his back. Police say Burr held no formal qualifications for that machine.
One Network News says Kidd had sought name suppression which is opposed by Kidd’s family. Burr’s lawyer Kelvin Campbell had argued that his client was under a lot of stress and releasing his name would only make that worse. Campbell said Burr was receiving counselling and had met with a psychiatrist, and that some of his family were also unaware of the charges.
According to One Network News, Judge J A Binns says she did not think Burr had put forward a strong enough argument and suggested he should phone his family as soon as he left the court.
