Businessman’s ticket stands

AN Auckland businessman who said he was ticketed for running an orange light in Queenstown ‘‘because I’m Chinese’’ has previously accused police of raciallymotivated brutality.

Shen Tsyan appeared in the Queenstown District Court on Tuesday to contest a $150 ticket he received from Constable Matthew Horn on October 7 last year.

According to a 2009 New Zealand Herald report, the nowdefunct Chinese language newspaper Fortune News ran a frontpage story alleging police brutality of an anonymous victim who turned out to be Mr Tsyan, the owner.

The Herald story said Mr Tsyan was charged with assault from the roadrage incident.

In court on Tuesday, Mr Tsyan said he got the ticket after running an orange light at the corner of Stanley and Ballarat Sts, last October ‘‘because I’m Chinese — there’s just one reason’’.

He added: ‘‘If I’m not right I just pay the money.’’

However, Const Horn, who issued the ticket, said he did not see the race or gender of the driver until he approached the Hyundai van, after he had pulled it over.

Const Horn said Mr Tsyan was ‘‘quite argumentative’’ and did not accept wrongdoing, which was why he issued the ticket.

Mr Tsyan told the court he had five adults in the van with him and could have stopped at the intersection, but he did not think he could do so safely.

Mr Tsyan’s counsel, DonnaMaree Cross, argued police did not have sufficient evidence, but that was rejected by justices of the peace Vicki Buckham and Joy McDonald.

They decided the $150 infringement notice would stand and Mr Tsyan should pay court costs of $130.

Mr Tsyan confirmed outside the court he used to own Fortune News, which folded in 2011.

Asked if he had a problem with the police, he said some ‘‘don’t like people from overseas’’.

david.williams@odt.co.nz