Dunedin District Court
CASES heard before Judge Michael Turner last week.
Joseph Wrathall (27), scaffolder, of Dunedin, aggravated drinkdriving (third such conviction, stopped by police, said he was driving home; defence counsel Brendan Stephenson said a report revealed Wrathall did not have a physical dependency on alcohol but got into trouble bingedrinking with mates, Mr Stephenson said on the night in question the defendant had queued for a taxi before making the ‘‘foolish decision’’ to drive a workmate’s vehicle, Judge Michael Turner noted his last drinkdriving offence came in 2015), 858mcg, 4.12am, June 3, Stuart St, four months’ community detention, nine months’ supervision, alcoholinterlock licence after 28day disqualification.
Francois PoukensRenwart (23), tourist, of Cromwell, drinkdriving (driving Toyota in Queenstown, went through red light, police followed him, parked on the wrong side of the street, failed to provide sufficient breath sample three times, was taken to police station for evidential test, explained he was just picking up friends and did not see the red light; duty lawyer Steve Turner said the Belgian national had organised sober driver but it fell through, he had no convictions here or abroad and was flying home next month); 882mcg, 3.50am, January 20, Ballarat St, fined $900, court costs $130, six months’ disqualification.
Sylvester Reeves (25), carpenter, of Balclutha, drinkdriving (driving Suzuki, stopped at police checkpoint, became aggressive when asked to accompany officers to station, placed in handcuffs and refused to get into car, told police they should be going after murderers rather than wasting time on him; duty lawyer Steve Turner said the defendant apologised for his behaviour after being processed), 791mcg, 12.30am, December 2, Ayr St, 80 hours’ community work, six months’ disqualification.
Josias Faleolo (23), of Dunedin, drinkdriving (stopped by police, admitted drinking, stated he had three or four RTDs at a friend’s place; defence counsel Steve Turner said Faleolo was a first offender and had come to Otago because his partner was here studying), 124mg, 3.05am, November 17, Onehunga, Auckland, fined $700, court costs $130, six months’ disqualification.
Caleb John Wakefield (33), employed, of Dunedin, drinkdriving (stopped after seen by police going through a red light, admitted having two drinks and said he thought he would be fine to drive, previous such convic tion in 2012, defence counsel Anne Stevens QC said her client was gravely disappointed by his lapse), 483mcg, 10.20pm, December 14, George St, fined $800, court costs $130, six months’ disqualification.
Benjamin Henry Wright (19), of Dunedin, drinkdriving as under20, driving while suspended (suspended for excess demerit points on November 9, stopped by police in associate’s Subaru, made spontaneous admissions about drinking, said he was going to find his girlfriend), 250mcg, 2.23am, December 1, 60 hours’ community work (added to preexisting sentence), six months’ disqualification (starting on February 9).
David James Pennell (34), dairy worker, of Kaitangata, possession of cannabis, cultivating cannabis (defendant set up a specialised grow room in boiler room at rear of address he lived at with 8yearold son, external window was covered with firewood, police found 21 seedlings up to 15cm tall, 143g of cannabis bud was found, no evidence of dealing; Pennell told Probation he had smoked cannabis for years and saw nothing wrong with it, defence counsel Angela Neugeubauer though said he had since given up the drug, ‘‘Do you feel better?’’ Judge Turner asked, ‘‘It doesn’t really affect me, in a way,’’ Pennell said, ‘‘In that case, why take it?’’ the judge responded), May 31, two months community detention (weekend curfew).
Damien Tony Owens (25), of Dunedin, theft (victim withdrew $160 from an ATM in South Dunedin but forgot to take the cash, Owens saw the money and took it), April 16, breach of community work (sentenced to 220 hours in December 2017, failed to complete within the prescribed timeframe; court heard Owens spent time in emergency psychiatric care), June 19; failed to appear in court (defence counsel Sarah SaundersonWarner said the two months her client spent in custody had been positive because ‘‘his life was spiralling out of control’’), August 24, six months’ supervision, $160 reparation.
Ozan Bay (25), of Dunedin, breach of a protection order (a protection order was made in favour of Bay’s expartner in 2016 after an assault, during supervised contact with his children the defendant gave the supervisor $100 to give to his former partner to spend on the children, days later he sent the woman a message on a dating app thanking her for accepting the cash; Judge Michael Turner said there was nothing threatening or abusive about the contact and it was ‘‘a technical breach at worst’’), October 4, convicted and discharged.