Oamaru District Court

A FORMER Oamaru man’s 30plus convictions for driving while disqualified is ‘‘something, perhaps, of a record’’, Judge Joanna Maze says.

In the Oamaru District Court yesterday, Judge Maze sentenced Bradley James Walker (50), hospitality manager and maintenance worker, of Akaroa, to four months’ community detention and 100 hours’ community work on two counts of disqualified driving.

He already had 30 such convictions. A police summary of facts read in court said the trailer Walker was towing struck a parked mobile home in Tamar St, Oamaru, in sight of a police officer who was travelling in the opposite direction.

When the red and blue lights of the patrol car were turned on, Walker sped off to his Bushy Beach Rd home.

Police followed and saw him get out of his car and ‘‘sprinting’’ inside. He could not be found at first, but three hours later was discovered sitting in the passenger seat of his car.

He was spoken to about the load on his trailer and the condition of his car, but was later found to be a disqualified driver.

Five days later, on May 8, Walker was pulled over again, this time in Redcastle Rd, Oamaru. He admitted he was a disqualified driver.

Made false statement

Murray Royston Mikoz (54) pleaded guilty to a charge of making a false statement to police yesterday after a botched attempt at lying his way out of an attempted breakin.

At 12.15am on August 20, Mikoz entered an enclosed yard in Humber St and attempted to smash a padlocked door open with a small sledgehammer.

When he failed to do so, he left the yard, scaling a roughly 2.5m fence and cutting his hand deeply. He walked to the hospital where he said he had been assaulted.

He provided a written statement to police, claiming he had been ‘‘brutally assaulted’’. Police found the statement was made up and intended to hide the man’s attempted breakin.

His family owned the building he attempted to break into and an alternative resolution was agreed to, but he was convicted, with his sentence deferred three months, for misleading police.

Disqualified

Philip David Mellor (58), labourer, of Kakanui, was sentenced to five months’ community detention, ordered to pay $10,000 in reparations to his 82yearold victim, and disqualified from driving for 12 months after driving with excess breathalcohol causing injury.

He failed to see his victim coming on MahenoHerbert Rd on July 19 and turned across her path when she had the right of way. Mellor recorded a breathalcohol level of 554mcg. Defence lawyer Katherine Henry said Mellor ‘‘generally doesn’t drink’’ but received bad news and was in financial trouble; he had been drinking the night before the crash and did not realise he could still be intoxicated the next day.

Joyride on golf course

James Alex Hall (26), of Waitaki Bridge, farm worker, was sentenced to six months’ supervision, 100 hours’ community work and ordered to pay his victims reparation of $7800 for his role in a destructive joyride over the course at Oamaru’s North Otago Golf Club on July 6.

His community work hours included about $4000 of remitted fines.

The $7800 reparation for wilful damage to the golf course, to be paid to his victims, was in addition to an apology, which was accepted, Judge Maze said.

Defence lawyer Michael de Buyzer said Hall accepted alcohol was a key factor and he and his associate ‘‘egged each other on’’.

Seventh drinkdrive conviction

Grant Paul Holmes was sentenced to four months’ community detention and disqualified from driving for 12 months after his seventh drinkdriving conviction.

Holmes (65), blew 573mcg, about 1.30am on Saturday, July 14, after a random breath stop in Anzac Dr, Christchurch. He had attended a friend’s funeral. His drinkdriving convictions date back to 1974, with the previous most recent in 2013.

Other convictions

Paul Alan Herrick (29), of Oamaru, drinkdriving, 182mg, Thames Highway, September 7, fined $130 for court costs, $100 medical fees, and $111.99 for ESR analysis, disqualified for 28 days, with alcohol interlock provisions to follow.

Rhys Keegan Jeffery (30), self employed, of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 697mcg, Black Point Rd, fined $450 plus $130 court costs, disqualified six months.

Regan Andrew Forbes (21), freezing worker, of Weston, driving while suspended, Eden St, fined $400, disqualified for six months.

Selena Angelina Johnstone (33), prostitute, of Christchurch, assault, Oamaru, April 10, three months community detention, nine months’ supervision.

Jessica Marie Dorsey Gilchrist (26), of Oamaru, drinkdriving (fourth conviction), 455mcg, Thames Highway, September 26, 80 hours’ community work, nine months’ supervision, disqualified 12 months.

Jamie Brian Keith Skudder (30), tattooist, of Oamaru, driving while disqualified, Wansbeck St, September 26, 80 hours’ community work, disqualified 12 months from June 2019.

Edward Elvis Tumanako Harris (41), labourer, of Oamaru, driving while disqualified, Thames Highway, August 15, 40 hours’ community work, confiscation of car.