Given oneoff chance
He was prepared to give the defendant a chance in the community, Judge Phillips said when Matatia Araipu appeared.
‘‘But, and it’s a big but, it’s a ‘oneoff’,’’ he told Araipu (20), butcher, of Dunedin.
Araipu had admitted unlawfully taking a $3000 car, driving with a bloodalcohol level of 133mg, and carelessly, and resisting police, on October 15.
The police summary said Araipu took the car from Eastbourne St, some time between midnight and 6am, after finding the keys in the glove box.
Driving on Allanton Rd with an excess bloodalcohol level, about 6am, he lost control and drove off the road on to the shoulder. The vehicle spun and struck a fence post before coming to rest in a ditch.
Police were called. Aggressive towards them when they arrived, Araipu had to be restrained throughout the drive to the police station.
In explanation, he said he was upset due to a recent breakup with his partner.
For unlawful taking, Araipu was sentenced to three months’ community detention (curfewed 7pm7am daily), 150 hours’ community work, six months’ supervision, disqualified from driving for eight months, and is to pay $2869.25 reparation (at $150 a week by attachment order on his wages).
Drinkdriving brought 80 hours’ community work and eight months’ disqualification; careless driving, eight months’ disqualification; and resisting, 60 hours’ community work — all sentences concurrent. (special condition of sentence was not to consume alcohol; breath test on February 1 confirmed he had consumed alcohol), 50 hours’ community work. Public defender Brendan Stephenson said Officer’s explanation was he turned to alcohol to deal with a crisis; court probation officer Jeremy Burdett said Officer’s home detention had now ended, he was currently on postdetention conditions; Judge Phillips, noting Officer had previously breached court orders, told him he would be given no tolerance ‘‘if you breach, you will go to prison’’.
Karl Nicholas Mills (31), of Dunedin, assault (picked up woman around the waist, lifted her off the ground, carried her to the lounge, threw her to the floor, victim had to cushion her fall with her hands, suffered broken wrist; Judge Phillips said she had since retracted her statement and now said she tripped over a dog, Mills had previous convictions for domestic violence and aggravated robbery but it was a decade ago), 140 hours’ community work, nine months’ supervision.
Connor Valli (19), labourer, of Papatowai, possessing cannabis (50g), Balclutha, February 24, 40 hours’ community work; possessing bong for committing offence against Misuse of Drugs Act, 40 hours’ community work (cumulative, making total term 80 hours).
AA