Cromwell man nears record levels for driving convictions

A CROMWELL man who notched up his 32nd conviction for driving while disqualified almost made a regional ‘‘top three’’ for that category of offence and drivingrelated convictions overall, Ministry of Justice figures show.

Richard Kurie (50), builder, was convicted by Judge Michael Turner in the Alexandra District Court on July 17 of driving while disqualified in Cromwell on February 20.

Judge Turner said Kurie had 112 convictions over 32 years, including 91 driving offences. His latest driving while disqualified conviction was his 32nd in that category.

Only three others in the Otago and Southland justice areas — which comprises the Dunedin, Oamaru, Timaru, Alexandra, Gore, Invercargill and Queenstown district courts — had more than 32 convictions for driving while disqualified, figures obtained through an Official Information Act query to the Ministry of Justice showed.

Nationally, 51 people had more than 32 convictions for driving while disqualified.

There were also only three others in the Otago and Southland region who had more than 91 drivingrelated offences, the Ministry of Justice figures showed.

Nationally, 32 people had more than 91 drivingrelated convictions.

In terms of overall convictions, 97 people in the Otago and Southland region and 2800 nationally had more than 112 convictions.

The ‘‘record’’ for the number of driving while disqualified convictions in Otago, Southland and nationally is 54, 17 and 54 respectively; for drivingrelated convictions in Otago, Southland and nationally it is 123, 39 and 322 respectively; and for overall convictions it is 397 in the Otago justice region and 1162 nationally (no figure was provided for the Southland justice area).

No information about the age, occupation or location of the record holders was available.