Boy racers burnt with fines, disqualification

A couple of boy racers caught doing burnouts have ended up with holes burned in their finances.

Sage Andre Tait got his first criminal conviction after pleading guilty in the Palmerston North District Court yesterday to driving with sustained loss of traction.

The 17-year-old was driving along Valor Drive, Palmerston North – a popular congregation point for boy racers – at 10.50pm on June 3 when he came across two fire hydrant covers.

He placed the metal covers under the back wheels of the car he was driving, before doing doughnuts.

He admitted everything when arrested.

Duty lawyer Mark Alderdice said Tait’s offending was slightly premeditated, but he ‘‘just used what was there’’.

Tait told Judge Jim Large the car was his father’s.

The judge said he imagined Tait’s father was not impressed.

‘‘I imagine you are not going to be using dad’s car for a while, no matter the licence disqualification.’’

Even though Tait was not earning any money, the judge decided to fine him $200 and disqualify him from driving for six months.

‘‘Unless you receive a fine, there is no deterrent to you or others.’’

Jordan Anthony Piripi Te Kati, 20, appeared immediately after Tait, pleading guilty to the same charge.

He was spotted doing burnouts on three occasions by police on the same night along Valor Drive, which by this point had 90 cars and 200 people along it.

Police caught him after he did a burnout at 2.30am.

The judge said Te Kati’s situation was slightly different, as he was earning $700 a week and did three burnouts.

He was fined $350 and disqualified from driving for six months.