Policeman convicted of dangerous driving

Press, 14 June 1984, Page 6

Policeman convicted of dangerous driving

PA Wellington A police constable has been convicted in the District Court at Lower Hutt of dangerous driving. Mark Raymond Berryman, aged 21, pleaded not guilty before Judge Laing. The Judge said that Berryman and another constable were driving to an emergency call in Lower Hutt on February 18 shortly before midnight. They were exceeding the speed limit, due to the circumstances, and this was their right. The car’s speed was given by a passenger at about lOOkm/h approaching a curve that was marked with a 40km/h sign. Berryman braked on the damp rpad, skidded in a straight line

across two lanes and struck a power pole. The defence had sought to prove it was a mechanical fault that prevented him taking the corner. Berryman's speed, his position on the road and the road surface caused the slide, irrespective of any mechanical fault, the Judge said. He convicted Berryman and transferred the case for sentence to the District Court at Wellington today. The police officer in charge of the Lower Hutt station, Chief Inspector Kevin Egan, told the “Evening Post” newspaper that it was “very unlikely” that the police would take further action following the conviction.