Driver fined $l000 in fatality case

Press, 8 September 1982, Page 4

Driver fined $l000 in fatality case

A Lincoln College student earlier convicted of causing the death of Gerald Alexander Taylor by an act or omission while driving with an excess blood-alcohol ratio, was fined $lOOO by Judge Laing in the District Court yesterday. Geoffrey Douglas Flett, aged 19 (Mr A. A. P. Wyllie) was also disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for 12 months. In fining the defendant the Judge said that there was genuine public concern about drunken driving. Flett admitted the offence which occurred on March 28. Sergeant G. C Jones said that late that afternoon the defendant was driving between Fairlie and Geraldine. His car skidded, left the road, and rolled over a number of times. Mr Taylor was one of three passengers in the vehicle. He received fatal injuries while the car was a ‘ writeoff." The defendant had no recollection of the accident. He was unconscious for seven days.

Flett was found to have a blood-alcohol level of 175 milligrams of alcohol to 100 millitres of blood.

Mr Wyllie said that his client as a result of the accident, was in hospital for a month. The deceased was a close friend of the defendant. Mr Wyllie suggested that a possible cause of the accident might have been because the vehicle had radial tyres fitted to the front wheels and ordinary tyres to the rear. If such tyres were mixed the radials should have been fitted to the rear, Mr Wyllie said. DRUG DENIALS A freezer hand alleged to have been in possession of cannabis for sale or supply, and to having possession of cannabis seeds, on May 6, denied the alleged offences. John Alfred Inwood, aged 33, (Mr J. J. Brandts-Giesen) was remanded on bail to October 8 for a defended hearing. PERIODIC DETENTION A solo mother was sentenced to six months nonresidential periodic detention after earlier being convicted of unlawfully supplying a prescription poison, and selling cannabis' to an undercover policeman. The Judge told Lauren Margaret Fifield, aged 27, a solo mother (Miss B. A. Coop), that any person knowing the source of drugs and who was prepared to procure them and hand them over to someone else deserved a custodial sentence. While the defendant had the care of a young child the Judge said that this, in his opinion, was no excuse why a custodial sentence should not be imposed.

The sentence will be carried out in Auckland. The Judge also told Fifield that a “final warning” would be entered against her conviction and sentence. This meant that if the defendant appeared before the courts again on a related drug charge she would then face a custodial sentence, said the Judge. Counsel (Miss Coop) said that the offending was an isolated incident.

At the time her client was pregnant, unemployed, and on a sickness benefit, and had considerable debts. Fifield had admitted the two offences which took place in Auckland in December. last year, and in February. THEFT A man who took two ski jackets and two sleeping bags, to a total value of $750. after smashing the window of Outdoor Sports in Oxford Terrace, was fined $l5O when he appeared for sentence. James Henry Leslie Eruera, aged 22. unemployed (Miss J. Lowe), was ordered to pay the fine immediately, otherwise he would spend 14 days in prison.

in addition, Eruera was ordered to live and work where directed, to place his finances under the control of the probation officer, and to attend as directed for assessment or treatment for his alcoholism. Eruera admitted the offence which took place on August 10. Miss Lowe said that prior to the offence her client had been drinking in a city hotel. He was discharged from the Army the previous Friday. BURGLARIES An unemployed youth who admitted four charges of burglary was convicted and remanded in custody to September. 10 for a probation report and sentence. He is Robert Michael Galbraith, aged 19 (Mr M. J. Glue). The defendant was charged with burgling the Gayhurst Road pharmacy, and houses' in Aynsley Terrace, Salisbury Street and Flockton Street, between February 24 and July 15. No police summary was read and the remand was to Friday when the defendant will be sentenced on other matters. ROBBERY CHARGE A fisherman facing a charge of robbery was remanded on bail of $1250 to September 14. No plea was entered by Robert Earle Corson, aged 27, who is alleged to have committed the offence yesterday.