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An off-duty police officer who admitted hitting and killing a cyclist after a night of drinking will carry the shame and humiliation for her actions as long as she lives.
David Lane, 69, was killed while cycling along Stancombe Rd in Flat Bush on September 17.
Police officer Jada Manase, 22, appeared at the Manukau District Court on Friday for sentencing after she admitted charges of excess breath alcohol causing death and careless driving.
Judge David McNaughton sentenced her to 9 months’ home detention.
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She is also not to possess and consume alcohol, must take defensive driving courses and is disqualified from driving for two years.
“Perhaps one day you can forgive yourself and move on, I hope.”
The judge said Manase immediately accepted what she had done and found her genuinely remorseful.
“I have no doubt you would have been an exceptional police officer. You have paid a high price already,” Judge McNaughton said.
Lane’s older sister, Jennifer Keene, dialled in from Wales for the sentencing.
A victim advocate read Keene’s statement out to the court, saying Lane had just retired and had many plans for the future.
She said it was a terrible shock to find out her younger brother had died.
”Dave was a triathlete and was just going for his normal Saturday night bike ride when he was mown down by a speeding, drunk off-duty police woman,” she said.
Keene said Manase had let her police colleagues down.
Prosecutor ‘Aminiasi Kefu said the trauma from the victim’s family was apparent.
Manase is a person who should be held more accountable than others as she was fully aware of the law, Kefu said.
Defence lawyer Todd Simmonds said this was a tragic accident, Manase is genuinely remorseful and is “shattered” by her actions.
Manase knows she was wrong and this was a terrible error of judgement, Simmonds said.
The court heard Manase was a talented, loyal, hardworking, caring young woman.
Manase recorded 600mcg of breath alcohol when she was tested at a police station. The legal limit for people over 20 is 250mcg.
At 8.12am on September 17, Manase was driving her black Nissan Navara.
She had poor control of the car and was veering over the median lane, failing to stay in her lane.
She turned right onto Stancombe Rd, where Lane was travelling in the designated cycle lane.
Manase – who graduated from police college in Feb 2021 and was a constable at the time of the offence – was driving between 68kph and 72kph in a 60kph zone.
Her car drifted to the left side of the road, crossed the cycle lane and hit Lane, along with four parked cars.
Manase veered back into the centre median before coming to a stop shortly after.
Lane was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The defendant exhibited signs of intoxication,” court documents said.
Three of the cars she hit had extensive damage.
Inspector Matt Srhoj said Manase had been stood down following the incident, but has since resigned.
”Police hold our people’s conduct to high standards regardless of whether they are at work or off duty.
Her decision to drive while under the influence of alcohol was inexcusable and it has had fatal consequences. “
The matter is still under investigation by the Independent Police Conduct Authority.
Lane was a “very experienced rider” and athlete who had competed in Ironman competitions in Hawaii.
Lane’s boss, Mark Taylor, co-founder of MEC Bikes, previously said Lane was a “lovely guy” who kept to himself.
He had previously had a career as an engineer but had grown bored in retirement, Taylor said.
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