Road spikes not the end of ‘stupid’ escapade

Road spikes stopped a 20-year-old’s dangerous driving, but his offending continued when he got out of his car.

Kylos Dennis David Brett was sentenced in the Invercargill District Court yesterday.

He was convicted of driving dangerously, assaulting a police officer, driving with excess speed, failing to remain stopped and refusing to give blood, at Invercargill on May 28 this year.

Defence lawyer John Fraser said Brett clearly had an alcohol problem and with that acknowledged problem was on the cusp of an escalation of problems in his life.

Judge John Brandts-Giesen said Brett had been driving about 2.25am at a speed of 60kph on Invercargill’s North Rd, an area where the speed limit was 50kph.

Brett pulled over for police, failed a breath alcohol test and accelerated off at up to 118kph, the judge said.

Police turned off their lights because of the serious risk involved in pursuing Brett, the judge said.

Brett was later seen at Dacre. He drove at police and then on towards Invercargill before a tyre deflation device stopped the vehicle, the judge said.

When Brett was put into the police car he kicked the officer in the chest, the judge said, and the officer then ‘‘quite rightly’’ struck Brett.

‘‘You really need to take stock of yourself,’’ the judge said. ‘‘This was remarkably stupid.’’

Brett was fined $500 for the assault and $800 in total plus court costs.

He was also disqualified from driving for 11 months.

Brett was sentenced to four months’ community detention, 12 months’ supervision and ordered to complete an appropriate drug and alcohol treatment programme.

He would be curfewed overnight on weekdays and curfewed to home all weekend for the four months.

‘‘If you can’t behave yourself at 2.25am, you should be tucked up in bed,’’ the judge told Brett.