Alcohol conviction for law examiner

Press, 22 January 1982, Page 5

Alcohol conviction for law examiner

PA Auckland The chairman of the Parliamentary committee examining tougher laws against drinking and driving offences was himself convicted and fined a total of 5300 on one charge of driving with an excess breathalcohol level and another of careless driving yesterday. Keith Reding Allen, aged 50. the M.P. for Tauranga and Parliamentary Undersecretary for Trade and Industry. pleaded guilty to the charge of careless driving on Quadrant Road, Otahuhu. on August 4 last year. He denied the charge of driving with excess breathalcohol level and evidence was heard in the District Court at Auckland by Judge P. M. Browne. Traffic Officer Warren Douglas Faulkner said that he was called to a one-car accident at about 7.50 p.m. on the night of August 4. The driver of a Ford Fal-

con car. which was rested on the grass verge to the right of the road, identified himself as the defendant. Allen. He asked Allen if he had been drinking. Allen said that he had had a small amount. Mr Faulkner said the defendant’s breath smelt of alcohol and his eyes were a little bloodshot.

After giving a positive specimen breath test at the scene. Allen was taken to the Mt Roskill office of the Ministry of Transport where he was asked to give another evidential breath test. The test recorded 650 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. Allen was then asked to give a blood specimen but he refused.

Earlier. Allen had told the officer that he had been travelling along Quadrant Road and had swerved to miss an oncoming car. Counsel for Allen (Mr Michael Harte) said his client had been at a function

at the Epsom Showgrounds and had only drunk the appropriate toasts. He had been working for 16 hours and was on his way to the airport to fly to Parliament when the accident occured. Mr Harte said Allen had driven without incident for 32 years. He, in fact, did not need to drive himself, as he had the right to a ministerial chauffeur-driven car whenever he chose. He said Allen was unable to drink more than slightly on any occasion because he had a medical trouble. The Judge said he appreciated that Allen had a responsible position and he did not think the offences were extremely serious ones. He fined Allen $2OO on the charge of driving with excess alcohol, and disqualified him from driving for six months. On the careless driving charge he fined him $lOO and ordered that he pay $l9 for witnesses’ fees.