The man responsible for the death of hit-and-run victim Jacob Pakura has been sentenced to four years in prison.
The 16-year-old was skateboarding in the Auckland suburb of Glen Eden in January when he was hit by Zhenghang Yu.
Yu previously pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death.
The court heard Yu was driving erratically before he hit Jacob, and blamed his poor driving on a bad reaction to medication.
"This was a prolonged period of erratic driving at speed. That continued even after you hit the victim. You travelled on for another 15 minutes and as erratic as it had been before," said Judge Gibson.
"You then failed to negotiate a bend and nearly hit other cars, so you did nothing after the incident to moderate your driving.
"In my view prison can be the only proper response."
In a tearful victim impact statement the teenager's mother, Esther Pakura, said there were no words to fully express the pain, loss and reality of what happened to her son.
"It sucks that Jacob's life has been taken. His legacy was stolen, it only lasted 16 years, 9 months and 12 days."
"The way his life taken was hateful."
Ms Pakura told the court she was shocked when police confirmed Jacob had been killed.
"It was our precious 16-year-old who died only minutes from our home. It was heartbreaking, a heartwrenching feeling no parent would want to contemplate."
She described her boy as a natural born leader with a real zest for life.
"He was a busy and inquisitive child and right from the start was a learner and a doer."
"There are so many more wonderful qualities and it would be hard to try to list them all."
Yu's lawyer Michael Kan read out a letter on his client's behalf. In it Yu apologised for the incident.
"It was me who took Jacob's right to enjoy his life. I wish I could turn the clock back and reverse everything I did."
"It was me who tore apart your loving family. Sorry can never be enough for what I did. But I would still ask if you could forgive me."
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