Attitudes to driving bans criticised

Press, 10 January 1987, Page 4

Attitudes to driving bans criticised

Among the 70,000 disqualified drivers in New Zealand some 40,000 regarded driving licence disqualification as “never having happened,’’ said Judge Erber in the District Court yesterday. He sentenced Todd Kenneth Ryan, aged 19, unemployed, to periodic detention for six months on two charges of driving while disqualified. Ryan was also placed on probation for a year, with a special condition that he should take treatment for alcoholism, as directed by the probation officer. His disqualification from driving was extended by two years, to September 10, 1989. On two charges of having no warrant of fitness for his vehicle, and a charge of driving when forbidden by a constable to do so, he was convicted and discharged. Ryan was appearing for sentence yesterday after having pleaded guilty to

the charges last week. These related to his twice driving his truck in Cathedral Square, two days apart, before Christmas, when he was a disqualified driver. The offence of driving when forbidden to do so related to his being stopped on the first occasion, late in the evening of December 20, after he had been drinking. A breath-screening test gave a positive result, and Ryan was told not to drive until 7 a.m. the next day. He returned after 25 minutes and drove his truck away. He was found to be a disqualified driver. Mr G. A. Hay, for Ryan, sought a sentence of periodic detention to enable him to remain in the community and “rehabilitate and renew his life.” He said Ryan had an alcohol problem and each time he committed a driving offence and received a penalty he returned to the comfort of drinking to

give him solace and relief. This recidivist approach catapulted him into further offending. The Judge said driving while disqualified was treated by very many motorists as an offence for which detection and retribution was slight. He believed there were 70,000 disqualified drivers in New Zealand, and some 40,000 of them regarded the disqualification as never having happened. He said this was Ryan’s fifth appearance on such a charge. Before hearing counsel’s submissions he said he considered a sentence of up to a year’s imprisonment should be imposed. He accepted submissions made by Mr Hay for a lesser sentence, but asked that the police note that a final warning had been given with imprisonment likely for a further offence.