STUDENT BEFORE THE COURT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26243, 29 August 1946, Page 8

STUDENT BEFORE THE COURT

FINE OF £ls IMPOSED A student named Thomas Ernest George Mark, aged 26, pleaded guilty before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., yesterday, to a charge of being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car. . . Senior Sergeant Vaughan said that at 2.15 a.m. on August 23 a motor car was noticed by a sergeant travelling north alone George street past Moray place. The attention of the sergeant had been drawn to the manner in which the car was being driven, although It was not gojhg at a fast pace. The sergeant had got a taw and, with a policeman had followed the motor car. The car had stopped at Han over street, and only one man had been left In it. The other passengers had then appeared, and in answer to a question by the sergeant the defendant, had said that it was his car, and that he was driving it. The defendant had been taken to the Police Station, and Dr E. R. Harty had certified that he was not fit to drive a car, Other passengers In the car were quite capable of driving it. There was only one who was under the influence of liquor. The defendant had not previously been before the court. Mr E. J. Anderson said that the defendant was a single man. He was in his final year and had two months to go to complete his examination. Counsel said that on the night of the offence the defendant and others had been at a faculty function at which some sporting units which were to take part ih a tournament in the north were being given a send-off. At that function there was no liquor of any kind. Counsel said that he had had the opporunity of speaking to Dr Harty and another doctor, and they had permitted him to say that it was by no means a bad case and they had both described it as a border-line case. There had not been any menace to the travelling public. Counsel referred to the effects of publicity in the case, and said that it was unfortunate that such an escapade should have taken place at- this stage in a young man’s career. He had proposed, when he qualified, to join the occupation force in Japan. The magistrate said that it would oe wrong to prohibit publication of the defendant’s name. The defendant had the benefit of a University education and should set an example to others. Every individual knew, or should know, the danger of driving while under the influence of liquor, particularly so in the case of a medical man. The defendant was fined £ls, and costs and his licence to drive a car was suspended for 12 months.