ONE MONTH’S GAOL

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20034, 5 September 1939, Page 14

ONE MONTH’S GAOL

MOTORIST SENTENCED INTOXICATED IN CHARGE CHASE BY INSPECTOR “Circumstances in the various charges show that you are an irresponsible person when it comes to driving a motor car and there are no mitigating circumstances in your case.” commented Mr. J. 11. Luxford, S.M., when sentencing Wallace Haig Spencer, aged 23 years, a photographer, in the Police Court yesterday. Spencer was being sentenced after having pleaded guilty to a charge of having been intoxicated while in charge of a motor vehicle in Gladstone road on Saturday, August 2(1. Four charges were preferred against Spencer, two being laid by the police and two by the borough traffic inspector. The charges _ were firstly, with being found intoxicated in charge of a motor vehicle; secondly, with dangerous driving: thirdly, with parking a motor vehicle over the footpath and wilfully obstructing the footpath: and fourthly, with failing to park parellel to the kerb. The defendant pleaded guilty to the charges of intoxication and failing lo park parallel to the kerb, but pleaded not guilty on the other charges. The first two charges arose out of the same set of circumstances, while the other charges arose out of different circumstances and occurred on different dates. Mr. M. R. Maude appeared for the defendant. Excessive Speeding Senior-Sergeant J. F. H. Macnamara .said that at 5 p.m. on August 2(1 the borough traffic inspector, Mr. T. G. Nowell, and his assistant, Mr. J. Brunton, were on duty in Gladstone road. The accused’s car was seen, to be speeding up the road and the inspector followed it on his motorcycle. In order to overtake Spencer it was necessary for the inspector to reach a speed of 70 miles an hour. The inspector was of the opinion that the accused was intoxicated and brought him back to the police station in Gisborne, were he was certified as being under the influence of liquor In the rear of the car was found a two-gallon beer jar, two beer bottles, and a .jug. Evidence as to the excessive speed of the car was given by the borough traffic inspector, iMr. T. G. Nowell, who said that the accused had crossed the Roebuck road intersection at a speed of about 50 miles an hour. The ear was swerving all over the road and the inspector had some difficulty in overtaking it. When witness finally stopped the car the inspector said that he saw that the accused was under the influence of liquor. To Mr. Maude, the witness said that lie had first picked up the accused at Disraeli street He had checked the defendant's speed on a special speedometer fitted to his motor-cycle, this instrument registering the speed until the speedometer was tripped and returned lo normal. The maximum speed of a car such as the accused was driving was about 90 miles per hour. John Brunton, assistant borough traffic inspector, said that when he saw the car pass him, it was being driven in a dangerous manner and at an excessive speed. Evidence of Defendant In evidence on the dangerous driving charge the defendant told his counsel that he had been driving at between 25 and 30 miles per hour until stopped by the inspector. He contended that lie had travelled in a straight course all up the road. Similar evidence was offered by Geoffrey Conrad Spencer, a brother of the defendant. On the intoxication charge the defendant was ■ convicted and sentenced to one month's imprisonment. His driving license was cancelled and he wad prohibited from obtaining another for 12 months. On the charges of dangerous driving and failing to park parallel to the kerb the defendant was convicted and discharged. The charge of wiffulijy obstructing the footpath by parking his vehicle over it was dismissed.