SENT TO GAOL.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 71, 25 March 1940, Page 3

SENT TO GAOL.

YOUNG SOLDIER.

WAS INTOXICATED IN CAR. SEQUEL TO A PARTY. A soldier doing duty at a North Head fort, Clifford Albert John Sumich, aged 20, was to-day sent to prison for one week by Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., in the Police Court for being in a state of intoxication while in charge ofc. a car. He pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector Calwell said that at 12.10 yesterday morning Constable Longuet found Sumich seated at the wheel of his car which was parked correctly alongside the kerb in Queen Street on the southern side near Wellesley Street. Sumich was apparently asleep and very much under the influence of liquor. On getting out of the car he staggered. He admitted he was in charge of the vehicle. Later a doctor certified that he was unfit to ha r e charge. Sumich told the magistrate that on Saturday night he was asked to drive some friends to a farewell party. "I did not have much to drink and just before midnight when I left in my car I felt quite all right," he added. "The ride must have upset me, for in Queen Street I did not feel too good, and so I pulled up alongside the kerb. I did not intend to drive any more and intended to lock the car. Until then I was driving quite well and parked the car in the proper place." "A Good Soldier."

Sumich's commanding officer said Sumich was a good soldier and well behaved, and this was the first time he had ever been in trouble. .

Mr. Levien: The majority of persons up for this class of offence are respectable people who come before the Court for the first time. This is a notorious offence now| It is hard enough to cater for a normal driver without catering for one who is under the influence of alcohol. The question is, am I to create a precedent and allow a young fellow to have one bout of intoxication in a car and send an older man to prison. Those who take liquor and drive cars must know the consequences. They have a disregard for the safety of the other fellow. It is distasteful to me to even contemplate sending a young man to gaol, but I can see no other way of dealing with this sort of offence."

Sumich was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. His license was cancelled and he was disqualified from holding another for 12 months.