GIRL OF 18 CONVICTED OF INTOXICATED DRIVING

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28822, 17 February 1959, Page 9

GIRL OF 18 CONVICTED OF INTOXICATED DRIVING

An 18-year-old girl, who drank six beer 3 between 5.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. and who did not have a driver’s licence, made off with the rental car hired by her American friend when he. left it parked with the motor running while he went into his hotel, Mr N. M. Izard, S.M., was told in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

The girl, Pauline May Roberts, a wardsmaid, drove round Cathedral square with the tyres screaming, ignored the signals of two policemen, to stop and was finally brought to a halt by a traffic officer with his siren sounding after she had mounted the footpath and narrowly missed a telegraph pole, the Court was told. Roberts, who was represented by Mr H. S. Thomas, pleaded not guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of drink or drugs in OxfoTd terrace on February 11. She was convicted and was remanded to * February 23 for a probation officer’s report and sentence. Sergeant V. F. Townshend prosecuted. Traffic Officer H. J. McMorran, of the Christchurch City Council traffic department, said that about 6.40 on February 11 he was driving a patrol car in Cathedral square and was approaching the Press building when he saw a car travelling rather fast turn into the Square from Worcester street with its tyres screaming. The vehicle cut , the corners in the Square and headed towards the Post Office at more than 30 miles an hour. Just before the car was about to turn into Worcester street at the western end of Cathedral square the driver appeared to change her mind, Traffic Officer McMorran said. The car keeled over z badly and the tyres screamed loudly as the turn was made at speed. He saw a constable step out and attempt to stop the car which appeared to increase speed when passing him. At the Colombo street intersection the driver of the car appeared to make another lastminute decision, turned left and headed north up Colombo street, said Traffic Officer McMorran. As the vehicle approached the lights at Gloucester street the car in front was just pulling away with the green light. The car driven by the woman, swerved quickly to the left and passed the other vehicle on the inside. The car was gathering speed quickly during this manoeuvre. Swerved to Left The car again swerved to the left at the Armagh street lights and accelerated rapidly down Victoria street. Traffic Officer McMorran said. At the Oxford terrace intersection the * woman driver appeared to again make a split second decision and swung to the right with the tyres screaming Violently. 1716 car very nearly turned over and half way through the turn appeared to get out of control. It veered across the road to the left of Oxford terrace, jumped the kerb and went along the footpath for about a chain towards'Colombo street The car elmost struck a steel teMraßh pole before the driver rained

control and returned to the road. By this time the car was approaching Colombo street again and he turned on the siren, said Traffic Oijicer McMorran. The car stopped head op to the kerb outside the Plunket rooms. He approached the driver who remained in the car' and he' found that it was a young woman. When he spoke to her it appeared that she had been drinking but she denied this. He formed the opinion that she was under the Influence of drink and asked her to hand the keys over. She was arrested aqd got into the back seat of her car. Her eyes were inflamed and. he noticed that her speech was not too clear.

Dr. F. L. Scott said he examined Roberts at 7 p.m. and she told him that she had had six beers between 5.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. There was a strong smell of liquor on her breath and though she was not a bad case of intoxication he considered she was not fit to drive. Sergeant H. McLean said he saw the defendant at 6.45 p.m. and she told him she had been with a m: i and two women friends at a hotel. She had not had an evening meal. Later they were in a rental car when the man went away for a . few moments and she got into the driver’s seat and decided to go for a ride. It appeared to him that Roberts had consumed a quantity of liquor in a short time and it had affected her quickly, Sergeant McLean said. In his opinion she was not a bad case but was unfit to be in charge of a vehicle. "Not * Bad Case"

Constable G. Gallagher said he was watchhouse keeper when two women eame in with Traffic Officer McMorran. The traffic officer had told him that one had been arrested for driving under the influence. He had to ask which was the woman under arrest, as they both appeared sober. He could not see any signs that the defendant was under the influence of liquor except that her breath smelt of liquor and she was slightly unsteady on her feet. In his opinion she was not a bad case and in the circumstances he would have just taken the keys from her. To Mr Thomas, Constable Gallagher said she was quite cooperative and appeared to be a decent, normal young girl.

The case arose out of an extraordinary piece of driving, said Mr Thomas. The car was driven fairly well as the manoeuvres were difficult and it was submitted that she must have had good control of the car to do what she did. The girl had acted foolishly in trying to get away from the traffic officer as she did not have a driver's licence. She stopped immediately the siren was turned on. The Magistrate ruled that there was a prima facie,case to answer and when entering a conviction said that the liquor had probably given her Dutch courage to take the car.

Bail was renewed and a charge against Roberts of driving without a lieenee was adjourned to rebruair ft