Dunedin District Court

SENTENCES imposed by community magistrate Sally O’Brien in the Dunedin District Court yesterday were. —

Hayden Robert Wilkinson (23), builder, of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 842mcg (alcohol checkpoint stop; stated driving friends to address in Green Island), Westland St, about 1.10am, October 4, fined $420, court costs $130, six months’ supervision, disqualified 28 days (alcoholinterlock and zeroalcohol licence provisions to follow). Counsel Jo Turner said Wilkinson ‘‘effectively a taxi driver on the night, dropping friends off . . . didn’t realise he had quite that much alcohol in his system . . . didn’t feel affected’’. Magistrate noted Wilkinson had a previous drinkdrive conviction, in 2017.

Gemma Erica Henke (26), drinkdriving, 811mcg, and careless driving (driving in South Rd, failed to stay in lane, crashed into car parked at side of road; stated her partner said some nice words to her, which led her to crash; said consumed one jug of beer and one tall Canadian Club at licensed premises about 40 minutes earlier), about 10.40pm, August 25, for drinkdriving fined $600, court costs $130, disqualified seven months (zeroalcohol licence provisions to follow), for careless driving fined $400, reparation $500. Counsel Steve Turner said Henke a first offender.

Sarah Jane Williscroft (49), jobseeker beneficiary, of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 152mg, and careless driving (in Culloden St failed to navigate slight bend, crashed into vehicle parked on left side of road, resulting in her vehicle flipping on to its roof and hitting vehicle parked on right side of road; in explanation stated turned into Culloden St, could not remember anything that happened between that and getting out of her vehicle), about 10.25pm, July 29, overall penalty fined $500, court costs $130, medical expenses $111.99, disqualified seven months. Magistrate accepted counsel Werner van Harselaar’s submission Williscroft’s remorse genuine and the offence completely out of character for her; noted Williscroft had already made arrangements to pay reparation, attended restorative justice, and not previously before the court.

Kunwar Hemant Garg (26), drinkdriving, 681mcg (travelling in Princes St, stopped by police who saw two passengers hanging out of vehicle sun roof; spoken to, Garg immediately admitted having recently consumed alcohol, stated had been drinking a few beers before driving friends into town), about 11.40pm, August 29, fined $660, court costs $130, disqualified six months. Counsel Chris Lynch said Garg not previously before the court, ‘‘doubt he ever will be again’’.

Clay Solly Travis (21), apprentice, of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 669mcg (heading south in Cumberland St, police activated patrol car’s lights, defendant breathtested, stated was just giving friends a ride), about 11.40pm, September 5, fined $600, court costs $130, disqualified six months. Magistrate noted Travis not previously before the court.

Corey McAlister Anderson (27), drinkdriving, 595mcg (routine stop; stated had about 12 beers over a long space of time), Union St, Milton, about 10pm, September 25, fined $540, court costs $130, disqualified six months. Counsel Chris Lynch said ‘‘very regretful and remorseful . . . makes no excuses’’. Magistrate noted Anderson had a clean traffic record ‘‘until today’’.

Joshua Remco Vis (27), of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 586mcg, (stopped due to manner of driving; stated driving to pick up his girlfriend), Moreau St, about 11.10pm, September 7, fined $530, court costs $130, disqualified six months.

Michael Allan LeeHumphreys (27), of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 535mcg (driving on State Highway 1, near Edendale, took wrong left turn and drove off the road down an embankment; police arrived soon after; LeeHumphreys admitted having one and ahalf jugs beer and can of bourbon drink before leaving Invercargill heading for Dunedin; in explanation stated ‘‘my friend told me to take this turn but I saw truck lights and panicked’’), about 10.15pm, August 22, fined $400, court costs $130, disqualified 28 days (alcoholinterlock and zeroalcohol licence provisions to follow). Magistrate noted LeeHumphreys had a previous drinkdrive conviction ‘‘just last year’’.

Kaylee Jema Green (30), employed, of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 521mcg (stated had consumed two cans of premix bourbon, was just driving home from a friend’s house), Kaikorai Valley Rd, about 10.30pm, September 18, fined $650, court costs $130, disqualified six months. Counsel Chris Lynch said ‘‘she says she made a stupid decision and should have known better . . . is extremely remorseful’’. Magistrate noted Green had a previous drinkdrive conviction in 2009, ‘‘and also a demerit infringement for driving with excess alcohol’’.

Charlie James Marsh (19), drinkdriving, 497mcg (stopped and spoken to by police; stated had about eight cans premix bourbon, had driven to 24hour dairy to get some food), Dundas St, about 2.35am, September 20, fined $440, court costs $130, disqualified six months. Marsh not previously before the court; magistrate noted letter from him described his regret and embarrassment, and his concern about the strife he’d caused his parents.

Deane Andrew Herburt Adams (52), plumber, of Dunedin, drinkdriving, 480mcg (alcohol checkpoint stop; admitted consuming one can of beer, said ‘‘I thought I was OK to drive’’), South Rd, about 9.30pm, September 26, fined $420, court costs $130, disqualified six months.

Mark Glenn Walters (23), beneficiary, of Mosgiel, drugimpaired driving (checkpoint stop, Walters seen braking erratically and accelerating abruptly within his lane as he approached; his eyes bloodshot, he was slow to respond, failed aspects of impairment test including coordination, blood sample showed THC in his blood), Cumberland St, about 10.45pm, July 24, fined $200, analyst’s fee $668.94, disqualified six months. Public defender Karlena Lawrence said Walters made wrong decision to drive, ‘‘a massive wakeup call for him . . . before court for first time . . . assures me he will not be back’’. Magistrate acknowledged medical letter indicating Walters giving up cannabis.

Hayden Colin James Kerr (28), beneficiary, driving while disqualified, and carelessly (completed Uturn in Princes St, started to head north near Go Bus depot, lost control, crashed into parked vehicle damaging its left front, departed scene; spoken to a short time later said he panicked and knew he was disqualified), May 29, overall penalty fined $600, court costs $130, reparation $2423, 40 hours’ community work, disqualified seven months (zeroalcohol licence provisions imposed on another matter last year remain and follow),

Jesse Lee Carruthers (25), employed, of Milton, disqualified driving, Union St, Milton, about 9.20am, September 27, fined $350, court costs $130, disqualified six months. Counsel Chris Lynch said Carruthers drove because his friend was intoxicated, he acknowledged he should have just taken the vehicle keys.

William Harper Dean (22), student, of Dunedin, driving while driver licence suspended (August 7 given threemonth suspension for demerits; September 19 routine stop in Bay View Rd, Dean immediately alerted police he was suspended), court costs $130, disqualified six months (from December 6 when suspension ends). Counsel Steve Turner said Dean a first offender.

Sentenced by Judge Jim Large was. —

Jay Jonathan Burns (28), of Dunedin, four charges of shoplifting (stole cosmetics, bourbon and cigarettes from various shops and supermarkets, chased by staff on two occasions; judge called the thefts “brazen”), July 8 to August 28; resisting police (found by officers in Octagon, defendant placed under arrest, broke free, found 10 minutes later in Princes St, acted aggressively, peppersprayed and restrained), August 29; breach of release conditions, June 24; four and ahalf months’ imprisonment, reparation $402.

Sentenced by Judge Michael Turner on Thursday was. —

Aniva Joyce Salaia (41), of Stirling, drinkdriving, 600mcg, and careless driving causing injury (driving about 65kmh in Toko Mouth Rd, about 5pm, August 13; lost control, started sliding sideways, tried to regain control but crashed into ditch; as result of impact passenger received cuts and abrasions to his face and side of his head, Salaia received deep cut to forehead which required stitches; both left vehicle, started walking towards Milton; soon after member of public came across the vehicle which had caught fire, tried to put out fire, emergency services called and fire extinguished; Salaia and passenger found hiding in bushes; Salaia had bloodshot eyes, admitted consuming sixseven cans of bourbon and cola, stated she should have been going slower, a road on which you shouldn’t travel any faster than 45kmh), overall sentence four months and two weeks’ community detention (curfewed 6pm Fridays to 6am Mondays), six months’ supervision, disqualified 28 days (alcoholinterlock and zeroalcohol licence provisions to follow). Public defender Sophia Thorburn said Salaia picked up a friend who was hitchhiking and had alcohol, Salaia a recovering alcoholic, she was offered the alcohol more than once, ‘‘the temptation grew too great’’, she regretted falling off the wagon after being sober for four years. Judge noted Salaia had previous drinkdrive convictions.