‘Blatant offending’

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 15

‘Blatant offending’

If breaches of the law were not dealt with firmly, orders made by the courts could lose their integrity, said Judge Fraser in the District Court yesterday to a man he jailed for 18 months. Mark David Ashton, aged 25, a sheetmetal worker (Mrs A. Grant), was sentenced for offences of driving with an excess breath-afcohol level, and [driving while on ! New Brighton Road on February 12. Ashton, said the Judge, had a very bad record of previous offending of the same kind for which he was to be sentenced. He had been disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver’s licence 15 times,- and had four convictions for bloodalcohol offences. Second and subsequent offences of driving [while disqualified and liquor-re-lated driving offences were viewed seriously by the legislature and by the courts. I . For such blatant and repetitive offending a custodial sentence was inevitable, the [Judge said. Mrs Grant said her client now felt the need [to do something about his drinking.) i (Before Judge Hattaway) Because j there was j a risk that witnesses could be intimidated if Roger Duff, aged 30, a barman.

was allowed bail Judge Hattaway remanded him in custody to Friday. Duff is charged with injuring Gary Paul Mottram, aged 16, with intent to injure him at Lyttelton on March 7. , In opposing bail, Sergeant W. P. Creasey said . it was a particularly serious charge. ! The complainant was (found semiconscious in an alleyway near a Lyttelton hotel. He had suffered head injuries and was taken to hospital. There were witnesses and if bail were granted the police feared that the accused might try to manipulate .them, said Sergeant Creasey. In seeking bail for Duff, a duty solicitor (Mr N. J. Dunlop) said no weapon had been involved. Periodic detention If David Archibald Robinson, aged 32, a selfemployed gardener, came before the courts again on a similar charge he would almost inevitably go to prison, said the Judge. Robinson iwas earlier convicted of cultivating 123 cannabis plants at a Palmers Road address on February 18. He told the police that the plants, which ranged from 40cm to 2m in height, were for his own use. The Judge sentenced Robinson to periodic detention for six months.