Magistrate’s Court Driving Mistake Caused £800 Worth Of Damage

Press, Volume C, Issue 29656, 28 October 1961, Page 14

Magistrate’s Court Driving Mistake Caused £800 Worth Of Damage

“ft is an expensive alternative to the back of the faintly garage,” said Mr E. S. J. CrutcMey. S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday when be convicted Pamela Diane White, aged 19 (Mr W. Gilroy), of driving without due care and attention. Sergeant V. F. Townshend said that White had been driving a Mark 7 Jaguar car at Temuka on August 5 when she decided to stop at a service station for petrol. “Instead of bitting the brake she hit the accelerator.” Sergeant Townshend said. The car struck three petrol pumps, and a stay supporting the roof. Damage to the service station amounted to £BOO. Mr Gilroy said that the defendant had had very little driving experience and had been persuaded to drive the big car against her better judgment. “The Mark 7 was more than she could manage.” he said. White, through Mr Gilroy, pleaded guilty and was fined £3. On a charge of having no driver’s licence she pleaded guilty and was fined £5. At 8 p.m. on the same day, after a complaint, the police went to Riccarton road and spoke to the driver of the same car, said Sergeant Townshend. As a result Graham Michael Hanstock appeared before the Court on a charge of driving a motor-car while forbidden to do so. He admitted the charge and was fined £2O. Sergeant Townshend said that when the police spoke to Hanstock he smelt of liquor, was cheeky, and denied driving the car. The police noticed the newly damaged front bumper bar of the car, but Hanstock denied having been involved in an accident. Inquiries showed that the car was the one that had struck the petrol pumps at Temuka. The police took the keys from Hancock and warned him not to drive the car. An hour later the police returned to where the ear was parked and found that it had gone. Search of the district failed to find it, he said. Hanstock later admitted starting the car by crossing wires and driving it away. His explanation for doing this was that he did not like leaving the car unattended on the road.

In fining Hanstock, the Magistrate told him that the action of the police in taking the keys was done for his own protection and for the protection of,other motorists. FINED £2O Donald John Boyd, aged 29, a railway shunter, pleaded guilty to a charge of driving a power cycle while intoxicated, and was fined £2O. Has driver’s licence was cancelled for three years. Sergeant E. S. Tuck said that Boyd was arrested after he had been seen riding in Worcester street, and weaving across the road, on October 26. He was certified by a doctor as being unfit to drive. FINED £7 10s A fine ot £7 10s was imposed on Herbert Victor Rhodes on a charge of being intoxicated in charge of a motor van in Beresford street, New Brighton, on October 14. The case was I begun on Thursday and after most of the evidence had been heard it was adjourned until yesterday. Rhodes (Mr B. A. Barret) denied the charge. LICENCE CANCELLED I On a charge of driving' without due care and attention on the road between Waddington and Kimberley on August 20, Peter Rhodes, aged 17, a clerk, was fined £7 and his driver’s licence was cancelled for nine months. On a further charge of driving without due care and attention in Matipo street on August 27 he was fined £5. Rhodes (Mr H. W. Thompson) pleaded guilty to the first charge, and not guilty to the second. REMANDED On a charge of shop-break-ing and entering and theft at New Brighton on October 25, Manfred James Barnett, aged 28, was remanded until November 2. lan Basil Archer, aged 28, was remanded on bail to November 2 on a charge of indecent assault on a male at Christchurch on October 25. On a charge of theft of 12s 9d from a person unknown on October 27, Ralph Amuri Hare, aged 58, was remanded on bail to November 2. FINED £5 For failing to give way at the intersection of Ferry . road and Barbadoes street on August 9, Joseph Hill was fined £5. Hill (Mr R. G. Blunt), pleaded not guilty to the charge. Charges of failing to stop after an accident and of failing to ascertain injury were dismissed because of insufficient evidence. OTHER TRAFFIC CASES On other traffic charges brought by the Police Department, offenders were dealt with as follows: Using motor-vehicle without due care and attention: Doris May Kelso, £4; Arthur Joseph Derbidge, costs only; George Laurie De Renzy Gordon, £5 (no warrant of fitness, 10s); Almar Lust, £5; John Thompson, £5. Failing to give way to the right: Maurice John Bond, £5; James McGuire, costs only; John Russell Winterburn, £5. No driver’s licence: Edward Kendrick, £5; Sidney Sullivan, £5. Failing to keep to the left: Kenneth Hyan Carpenter, £3. (Before Mr A. P. Blair, SM.) NO LICENCE A driver for two years, Cyril Melton Ellis, aged 41, had never held a driving licence, said Senior-Sergeant G. M. Cleary. Ellis was fined £6 for having no driving licence, £5 for failing to give way, and £2 for having no warrant of fitness. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of failing to give way, and guilty to the others. The charges arose out of a collision between Ellis’s car and an articulated truck at the corner of Worcester street and Fitzgerald avenue on September 6. DRIVER CONVICTED Alfred Charles Thompson, aged 52, a driver, was fined £4 on a charge of driving without due care and attention in Yaldhurst road on August 17. He was fined £3 for having no driving licence. Thompson, who pleaded not guilty to the first charge and guilty to the second, was represented by Mr M. F. Hobbs. CHARGE DISMISSED A charge against Eric John Bastion, aged 57, a carpenter (Mr G. R. Lascelles) of driving without due care and attention in Fitzgerald avenue on July 1 was dismissed. He pleaded not guilty.