“That evening you made a series of calculated decisions, which ultimately took you on to the road and took the life of Jack and left both you and Morgan injured.”
The court heard Templeton, Jack Stephens and Morgan Stephens had spent the day crutching lambs before driving to the Tokanui Tavern on February 15, 2025.
Despite drinking heavily, Templeton declined his mother’s offer of a lift home, falsely told the tavern manager she was collecting them, and waited for a police officer conducting checks at the hotel to leave before driving away.
Justice Osborne said Templeton also posted Snapchat videos discussing whether he should wait for the officer to leave before driving, and later filmed himself directing abuse at the constable while saying he would take the back roads to avoid him.
Jack Stephens also filmed Templeton driving, with the pair shouting, “We’re running from the cops”, despite not being pursued by police.
The footage showed Templeton crossing the centre line, drifting onto loose gravel and shaking the steering wheel before losing control while travelling between 113km/h and 127km/h through a bend with an advisory speed of 75km/h.
The ute rolled into a paddock, killing Jack Stephens at the scene.
Morgan Stephens survived with injuries.
Addressing Templeton, Justice Osborne listed the decisions that led to the fatal crash: driving to the pub despite being prohibited from drinking and driving, refusing his mother’s offer of a lift, misleading the bar manager, leaving separately to reduce the chance of police intervention, failing to ensure seatbelts were worn and continuing to drive while distracted by Snapchat videos.
“Each of your poor decisions … was due to a deliberate decision on your part. Your driving on that evening is not to be minimised as involving a single mistake or decision.”
Earlier in the hearing, the court heard victim impact statements from Jack Stephens’ parents, Morgan Stephens’ family, other relatives and Jack’s partner.
Aaron Templeton, 21, has been sentenced to one year’s imprisonment in the Invercargill High Court. Photo / Ben Tomsett
Justice Osborne said victim impact statements were not received “in some proforma or routine way” but served to explain the effects of the offending, convey victims’ views to the court and inform Templeton of the consequences of his actions.
He said the statements described “how utterly crushing and life changing have been the consequences of your selfish and utterly rash actions”.
“I acknowledge … what a wonderful young man Jack was, with all the prospects that lay ahead of him.”
Justice Osborne also acknowledged the lasting impact on Morgan Stephens, saying while his physical injuries might heal, the emotional consequences would require ongoing support.
Justice Osborne adopted a starting point of five years and nine months’ imprisonment before reducing the sentence for Templeton’s guilty plea, youth, remorse and rehabilitation efforts, resulting in an end sentence of two years and seven months’ imprisonment.
Templeton was also sentenced to one year’s imprisonment on the drink-driving charge, to be served concurrently, and was disqualified from driving for two years and six months after his release from prison.
Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.