Sentenced for drink driving
JUDGE Ajit Swaran Singh decided to treat Nigel Ross Hazledon’s drink driving as a one-off event, despite his alcohol level being “extremely high” at nearly three times the legal limit.
Hazledon had driven away from a fight at a tangi when he was stopped by police and found to have a breath alcohol level of 1094micrograms, the court heard. The legal limit is 250mcg
He pleaded guilty to a charge of driving while intoxicated.
The judge asked Hazledon if this was a one-off, or if he had an issue with alcohol, to which the roofer confirmed this was not a regular occurrence.
It was his first drink driving conviction.
Hazeldon was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to have an alcohol interlock device fitted to his vehicle.
Judge Singh ordered the father of three to pay a $1000 fine and $130 court costs.
He said the fine should have been closer to $1100 to be in line with the level of alcohol, but he was giving credit for Hazledon’s early guilty plea.
Conviction considered penal
A CONVICTION was determined to be penal in its own right by Judge Singh in his consideration of how to sentence Evaan Carlos Kawhena.
The 21-year-old pleaded guilty earlier this year to a charge of common assault.
A sentence of community work was proposed, and $20 reparation was sought.
The judge said he understood Kawhena’s victim suffered damage to a molar tooth because of the assault, for which he had sought dental treatment.
“[An emotional harm payment] is more beneficial in my view, because the victim has suffered.”
Kawhena was ordered to pay $500 to the victim for the emotional harm caused by the assault. He received no further penalty because the judge determined a conviction to be punishment enough.
Fleet-footed escapist sentenced
JUDGE Singh sentenced Carl Riini to 80 hours’ community work for escaping police custody.
Defence lawyer Joe Hamblett said the offending was at the low end of the scale and his client ran away from police, scaling a fence in the process.
The lawyer was asked by the judge how far Riini ran.
“He got away, they couldn’t catch him,” Hamblett said.
Drink driver sentenced
AN Ōtorohanga man who is forbidden from having any alcohol in his system when he drives has been sentenced for drink driving.
Raymond Samuel Maaka pleaded guilty last week to driving with a breath alcohol level of 382mcg.
Judge Singh said Maaka’s behaviour was “totally unacceptable” because of the risk to himself and others.
He sentenced Maaka to six months’ supervision and disqualified him from driving for 12 months.
Pleas entered in wrench attack case
GUILTY pleas were entered by Pene Te Iwi Ormsby to charges relating to an assault in November, in which he assaulted his victim with a wrench and threatened to shoot up his house.
He is due to be sentenced next month on charges of assault with a blunt instrument, speaking threateningly, breaching release conditions and driving while disqualified.
Pleas changed
MICHAEL Riwhi Fred Martin changed his not guilty pleas to charges of assault with intent to injure, threatening to kill, contravening a protection order and intentional damage with reckless disregard, to guilty.
A charge of assault against a person in a family relationship, to which Martin maintained his innocence, was withdrawn by police.
He was remanded in custody until the next available sentencing date, which at this point is in Hamilton next month.
