Skids spur teen’s drunk moped trip

A teen drinking beer while riding his motorcycle without a helmet and with a passenger was on his way to do ‘‘skids’’ when spotted by police, a court heard.

It was about 5.45pm on August 31 when Levi Braez Anglesey Goldby was seen riding his Marshin 50cc moped on High St West in Waitara, North Taranaki.

The light motorcycle is not designed to carry passengers but the 18-year-old had one anyway and the pair were without helmets, police prosecutor Craig Jones told New Plymouth District Court.

Goldby, who is on a restricted licence, was also holding a stubby of beer which police saw him take a swig from as he rode by, Jones said.

With their lights flashing, police attempted to pull the 18-year-old over but Goldby ignored the order and continued on.

‘‘Both he and his passenger looked back at the pursuing patrol car a number of times but made no attempt to stop,’’ Jones said.

During the chase, Goldby traversed the streets of Waitara, sometimes heading in the wrong direction, at about 30kph.

Goldby, a labourer, then drove straight through an intersection and through a small gap in a hedge which took them to the fields of the Pukekohe Domain, losing the patrol car.

After circling the fields for a time, police spotted Goldby and his mate riding out onto Cracroft St and then onto Whitaker St.

Another attempt was made to stop them but they fled for a second time, Jones said.

Police tried to take photos of the riders but as they looked away to the left, they drifted to the right, causing them to clip the patrol car’s wing mirror.

At this point they came off the bike and fell onto grass.

The passenger remained at the scene.

However, Goldby took off – running into nearby streets.

He was chased and caught by an officer moments later.

An evidential breath test gave a reading of 460 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

The legal alcohol limit for drivers under 20 is zero.

Goldby told police he had consumed half a dozen vodka KGB drinks and that he ‘‘just went for a ride to do some skids’’.

For the offending, Goldby was charged with driving in a dangerous manner, failing to stop for police and driving with excess breath alcohol, all of which he has admitted.

In court on Wednesday, duty lawyer Jo Woodcock said the offending was ‘‘immature’’ and influenced by alcohol.

Goldby was remorseful and wanted to express his gratitude to police for the professional way they dealt with him, Woodcock said.

For the excess breath alcohol charge, community magistrate Shaun Cole fined Goldby $400 and disqualified him from driving for six months.

His licence was disqualified for a further six months for failing to stop for police, and another six months for driving in a dangerous manner – although the latter disqualification ran cumulatively to one of the other disqualifications, meaning he is off the road for a total of 12 months.