Sunstrike a factor in crash

Sunstrike was a factor in a crash that left a victim with seven broken ribs and a punctured lung, the Ashburton District Court heard on Tuesday.

Mitcham farmer Brian Vincent Quinn, 59, continued to drive through an intersection when his vision was affected by sunstrike at about 9.30am while on Taverners Road on March 6.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Stuart Whyte said Quinn hit the driver's side of the victim's vehicle, which spun and went through a fence. The victim suffered seven broken ribs and a punctured lung.

However, the victim said Quinn could not have done more for him, including checking on his progress and offering the use of a vehicle.

"Qinn had led a blameless life - except for a few driving demerits," Whyte said.

Community Magistrate Sally O'Brien said Quinn had never been in court before and the incident was caused by a momentary lapse of attention.

The victim described the support he'd had from Quinn as "awesome" and did not want charges against Quinn to proceed, she said.

Given Quinn's remote location and need to drive for work, he was discharged without conviction and without being disqualified.

Quinn was ordered to make a $500 emotional harm payment.

Fine for excess shellfish

A Westerfield couple who collected more than 800 shellfish while on holiday have been fined.

Princess Sharmagne Tamayo Barroga, 36, and Roger Jose Barroga, 37, were jointly charged for taking more than three times the legal daily limit of shellfish from Blueskin Bay in Warrington, Otago, on October 11 last year.

O’Brien said the couple, with their two children, parked at the mudflats at Blueskin Bay. There was a sign at the bay that stated the daily limit was 50 shellfish per person.

When questioned by a fisheries officer, the Barrogas showed the officer two buckets with over 300 shellfish. However, the officer found two further buckets in the car with another 538 shellfish.

Duty Lawyer Clare Yardley said the couple had looked up the limits online, but got the area wrong, and believed they could collect 150 shellfish per person, including their children.

The Berrogas became anxious when the fisheries officer arrived and forgot about the additional buckets in the car. They were not deliberately concealed and the Berrogas had no previous convictions, Yardley said.

O’Brien said there was concern for the cockle and cat’s eye snail populations because they were vulnerable and taking more than the daily limit was considered serious.

The couple were convicted and fined $700 each, plus court costs.

Disqualification, fine

A Hampstead woman facing charges of careless driving causing injury and driving while forbidden has been disqualified and fined.

Teremoana Teara Vaevae, 23, had been forbidden to drive on June 6, 2021 and did not have a current licence.

On March 15 the victim was stopped, waiting for a gap at the roundabout on Moore Street, when Vaevae drove into the back of her car at about 50kmh.

O'Brien said the victim suffered concussion and whiplash and had to take several days off work due to constant headaches.

Vaevae had not appeared in court before, had since obtained her licence, and was shaken up by what had happened.

O'Brien disqualified Vaevae for six months, backdated to May 10, and ordered her to pay $700 for emotional harm.

Community work for shoplifting

Fairton woman Tanesha Sheree Tiepa, 43, was sentenced to 40 hours' community work for taking a black strapless top from an Ashburton store without paying.

Yardley said Tiepa and a friend both took identical tops worth $50 from Mode Boutique on May 5.

Tiepa now acknowledged it was a stupid decision.

No reparation was sought as the store had stopped the women and recovered the tops.

Marjorie Leeann Gill, 45, appeared briefly for her taking the second top. However, her case was remanded to apply for legal aid because she faces two new charges of stealing donation boxes.

The Netherby woman will appear again on August 8.

Careless driving admitted

Allenton woman Te Hirea Eketone-Whitu, 26, admitted a charge of careless driving on Chalmers Avenue on May 26.

Her case was remanded for restorative justice. She will appear again on September 12.

Moving day charge

A woman who drove while disqualified to move her belongings from one farm to another on the traditional moving day on June 1 was given a community work sentence.

Georgina Grace Chirnside, 25, was stopped by police on the Christchurch southern motorway and found to be driving while disqualified.

She had been disqualified from driving for six months on February 28 for drink driving.

Duty lawyer Paul Bradford said Chirnside worked on a farm in Mayfield and had nobody to help her move on moving day.

Because of Chirnside’s remote work location, O’Brien converted the mandatory further disqualification to community work.

Chirnside was sentenced to 60 hours’ community work with an October start to allow for the calving season.

Second conviction

A Tinwald man admitted driving while disqualified on June 24.

Matthew Hack Stott, 26, was stopped by police on Havelock Street.

Bradford said this was Stott’s second conviction for driving while disqualified. Stott had decided to drive because his partner was unwell.

O’Brien gave Stott a further six-month disqualification and fined him $400 plus court costs.

Community-based sentence

Another Tinwald man was given community detention, supervision and a fine for three driving charges.

Riley Lynton Molloy, 19, had earlier admitted one charge of speeding and two charges of driving while disqualified after he was disqualified for drink driving.

O'Brien sentenced Molloy to eight weeks' community detention, and eight months' supervision to help with his compulsive behaviour. He was also fined $800 for speeding after being clocked at 106kmh in a 50kmh zone.

Community work

Mitcham woman Atiria Trevor, 27, was sentenced to 60 hours' community work for driving while disqualified.

She was stopped by police on Allens Road on April 28 and told police her daughter had forgotten her swimming togs at home and she had nobody else to take them to school.

Trevor had been disqualified from driving in December last year on a drink driving charge.

Incident with police

A man who threatened police and tried to interfere with police cars after learning he had no warrant for arrest has been told to get himself "sorted out".

The incident landed Callum Graham, 24, with a community detention sentence.

O'Brien said Graham went to the police station in Methven to ask if there was a warrant for his arrest. When told there was no warrant Graham became abusive and was told to leave.

Graham returned to the station using foul language and threats and was again told to leave.

At 5.15pm he banged on the station front door, and then the banged on and kicked the staff entrance door. When he got no response he started to interfere with police vehicles parked on site.

Graham accepted drinking can be a problem and some of his associates were not the best influence.

"It's time you got yourself sorted out. Methven is a small town. Matters can only get worse for you if you don't get this under control," O'Brien said.

Graham was sentenced to four week's community detention with a 7pm - 7am curfew and six months' supervision. He was also fined $250 for disorderly behaviour.

Fine for speeding

Joel Ian Osman, 34, was issued a fine of $80 and ordered to pay court costs of $30 for speeding.

He was clocked going 116kmh in a 100kmh zone on State Highway 1 near Chertsey.

Charges denied

Riley Daniel Pitches, 25, denied a charge of using his mobile phone while driving on March 20.

He will appear again in the Timaru District Court on September 22.

Three charges

Dyle Brian Guatno, 38, admitted further charges of driving while disqualified.

He had earlier admitted his second charge of driving while disqualified, and admitted two more driving while disqualified charges on Tuesday.

He will appear again on September 12 on the three driving while disqualified charges

Remanded

Nicole Chera Lee Donald, 32, admitted a charge of driving while disqualified, She was stopped by police on Nelson Street on January 18.

Her case was remanded to September 12 to allow time to do the e-drive course and obtain her licence.

JAT adjourned

A judge-alone trial was adjourned to allow the magistrate to consider the conflicting evidence.

Nathaniel John Beach, 40, denied a charge of failing to remain stopped for police to obtain particulars on April 12.

Beach's silver Toyota had been pink stickered as non-operational on March 26.

A police constable saw Beach park the vehicle on Archibald Street on April 12. He alleges he tried to speak to Beach to ask him about the sticker and put his hand up and asked him to stop when Beach got behind the wheel. Beach drove off.

Police executed a search warrant at Beach's home on April 14 and impounded the Toyota.

Beach admitted seeing the constable near the butcher shop on April 12 when he came out the First and Last Dairy after dashing in to buy cigarettes. However, he denied the constable tried to speak to him, or that the constable asked him to stop.

The two parties also did not agree on the location of Beach's vehicle on the day.

O'Brien adjourned the case to consider the evidence and said she hoped to deliver her verdict to the parties within a week.

Warrants issued

Warrants for arrest were issued for two people who failed to appear in the Ashburton District Court this week.

Cameron Roger Lahey, 30, failed to appear on a charge reporting an aggravated robbery that did not occur.

Chontelle Lea Barnett, 24, did not appear on a charge of careless driving causing injury.

By Sharon Davis