A Netherby man handed his car keys to the courtroom and paid the price for doing doughnuts on the road.

Sebastian Hugh Walker was charged with causing a sustained loss of traction in June.

Police caught him spinning the car at the intersection of Princess Street and McLean Street at around 8.40pm.

Magistrate Sally O’Brien said Walker had last appeared in court on a drink driving charge.

“You seem to be paying regard to scat of your licence obligations,” she said to Walker.

Walker was ordered to surrender the keys to his Toyota Altezza after court, and was not permitted to take interest in a new vehicle for the next year.

“I hope it was worth it for those deliberate doughnuts,” said O’Brien.

Walker pleaded guilty, received a seven month driving disqualification, and must pay a $700 fine on top of the confiscation.

Running out of options

An Ashburton woman chose to drive while her licence was suspended to get out of a dangerous situation.

Juanita Mary Mitchellhad been at her ex-partner’s house in August, with the agreement being that he would drop Mitchell back home.

The ex-partner became drunk, began to push Mitchell around, and refused to drive her home, the court heard.

Mitchell had work at 4.30am that morning, so went to call for a ride before her partner smashed her phone.

Mitchell opted to risk the drive home before being stopped by police.

While a further disqualification on driving would usually be imposed, both the police prosecutor and Magistrate O’Brien agreed not to do so.

“You rapidly ran out of options,” O’Brien said to Mitchell.

Mitchell pleaded guilty to the charge, and indicated she was taking steps to get her full licence and had split up with her ex-partner.

She was ordered to pay a $350 fine.

Drink driving

An Ashburton man was caught driving after downing five beers.

Manoa Steven Korotolu Nabakeke was caught drink driving by police in June.

He crossed the centre line while driving down Albert Street before being stopped.

He blew 656 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

Magistrate O’Brien told Nabakeke he could not “drive with that amount of alcohol in your system".

Nabakeke had arrived in the area two years ago from Fiji.

“You have been in New Zealand for two years now, you should understand our attitude to drink driving by now,” O’Brien said.

Nabakeke pleaded guilty, was disqualified from driving for six months and must pay a $600 fine.

Non-appearance

Thomas Ricky Russell did not appear in court and was sentenced despite his absence.

He had previously entered a guilty plea for a charge of careless driving and of drink driving.

In January, Russell had failed to give way at a sign and crashed into another car.

The car was crumpled and thrown across the road.

Russell had previously said the crash was caused as he was distracted by a group of bikers on the footpath.

He was convicted of careless driving and ordered to pay $400 in fines, an emotional harm payment of $300 to the victim and was disqualified from driving for three months.

Disqualified driver

An Ashburton man was found driving just two days after being given a six month disqualification.

Mervyn Kerry Anthony Smith had his licence suspended on October 26 last year.

Two days later, on October 28, he was stopped by police with his kids in the car.

He told police he knew he shouldn’t be behind the wheel, but his kids wanted to go out for a drive.

Lawyer Grant Fletcher said Smith had seen the embarrassment in his kids' eyes when he was pulled over and was ashamed of what he had done.

Magistrate O’Brien said the usual approach to correcting behaviour like Smith’s would be to make him do a driving course. The only available courses were in Christchurch, and Smith did not have the money to pay for a course, pay for transport to Christchurch and to support his kids.

On top of that, Smith had surgeries for his back and elbow on the horizon.

With a lack of driving training providers in Ashburton, O’Brien said requiring a driving course would not help Smith change his ways at all.

“You need to be able to drive again to care for your children, to get to your various medical appointments, and to give you the opportunity to turn yourself around.”

Smith was given six weeks of community detention with a curfew, and no fine.

Drink driving

An Allenton man has been charged with drink driving.

Jesse William Whitcombe had cracked open some beers following a rugby game.

After realising he had left his insulin at home, he opted to drive home despite being intoxicated.

Whitcombe was stopped by police, who’d seen his car earlier at the rugby grounds.

He blew 822 micrograms.

Magistrate O’Brien said Whitcombe should have known better than to drive.

“You certainly weren’t safe behind the wheel.”

Whitcombe pleaded guilty, and received a $400 fine and a 28 day disqualification from driving.

He must get an alcohol interlock device fitted to his car after the 28 days, which will remain for a year, and he must drive on a zero alcohol licence for the next three years.

Drink driving

A Methven woman has been fined for drink driving in the early hours of the morning.

Selina Mary Sifa Wilkins pleaded guilty to drink driving in June.

She was stopped by police at 2.30am, and while her driving did not appear dangerous, a blood test showed she had over the legal limit of alcohol in her system.

Duty lawyer Paul Bradford said Wilkins had had an argument with her partner and had not planned on driving initially.

He said Wilkins getting caught was “very much a case of ‘lesson learnt".

Magistrate O’Brien said while usually Wilkins would be disqualified from driving for a period, she needed the ability to drive for her two kids.

“The burden of the 28 days is really gonna fall on them more than anything, and they shouldn’t have to suffer because of your decisions.”

O’Brien backdated Wilkins’ disqualification to June, which meant she could apply for a limited licence to allow her to transport her children.

She was ordered to pay a $700 fine, as well as the cost for the blood tests.

By Anisha Satya