‘Sovereign citizen’ fined for resisting police, evading checkpoint

Megan Gordon’s first sentencing hearing ended abruptly when she was sent to jail for contempt of court.

On Monday, in a second attempt to sentence the Nelson woman, Judge Jo Rielly handed down her sentence– a driving disqualification and a fine.

Gordon was found guilty after a judgealone trial, where she defended six charges, including resisting police and refusing to give her details to officers.

At her March 22 sentencing, Gordon was jailed for 21 days after treating a judge with “disdain and disrespect” – speaking over her, addressing her by her first name, and accusing her of “lying and embellishment”.

In previous court appearances, Gordon has employed the language of pseudolaw common in the sovereign citizen movement, telling a judge she would step into the dock "only under duress".

At an earlier hearing, the court heard that about 8pm on July 5 last year, Gordon failed to stop at an alcohol checkpoint on Halifax St. Police turned on lights and sirens and followed her Audi along Haven Rd and on to Beachville Cres.

As she turned around at the end of the cul-de-sac, police positioned their vehicle to block the road. Gordon drove towards police, “reversed at speed into a bank” and then drove towards police again.

She then locked her doors and refused requests to get out and be breath tested. Police pepper-sprayed and arrested her. Inside the vehicle, Gordon kicked at police and refused to give her details. At the station, she refused to give an evidential blood test. She told police she “did not consent or recognise New Zealand police authority”, the summary said.

Lawyer Michael Vesty said Gordon was willing to pay fines, and would comply with a period of disqualification. He asked the judge to consider the costs Gordon had incurred when her work vehicle was impounded, and a driving disqualification. She had also spent a few nights in prison – unusual consequences for charges of Gordon’s type, Vesty said.

Judge Rielly noted these facts, and that Gordon had injured her scapula during the arrests. However, the injury was not surprising given the extent of her resistance to the arresting officer, the judge said.

She fined Gordon $1500 and disqualified her from driving for six months.