Victims of Laurel Hubbard crash appalled at sentence and suppression | Stuff.co.nz
As reported 14 July 2019
“Totally unjust,” says man hurt by Olympic weightlifting hopeful Laurel Hubbard’s driving.
The Australian victims of a serious crash caused by Olympic weightlifting hopeful Laurel Hubbard are appalled at what they say is a lenient penalty, and the suppression of her name.
Hubbard, 41, a transgender athlete who is trying to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics, was charged with careless driving causing injury after her vehicle fishtailed and crossed the road on a sharp bend near Queenstown on October 24, 2018.
Her car hit a vehicle carrying Brisbane couple Gary and Sue Wells. Gary, 69, spent nearly two weeks in Dunedin Hospital and needed major spinal surgery on returning to Australia. Sue had several broken ribs.
Hubbard, who is the daughter of cereal magnate Dick Hubbard, pleaded guilty in January this year. At her sentencing in February, she was discharged without conviction, ordered to pay the couple about $13,000, and was disqualified from driving for one month.
Judge Bernadette Farnan suppressed her name until September 30 to help Hubbard avoid the distress of dealing with social media comment while she trained for Olympic qualifying events. Stuff appealed and Hubbard sought permanent suppression.
