MILD CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 229, 26 September 1940, Page 8

MILD CASE.

MOTOR DRIVER FINED.

SLIGHTLY INTOXICATED.

" This man was barely intoxicated, but his judgment was slightly affected. It is about as mild a case as it is possible to be, and I think I can treat it as exceptional," said Mr. J. Morling, S.M.. in the Police Court this morning when dealing with Honry Curson. Accused, a motor driver, aged 31, had pleaded guilty to being in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motor car in Karangahape Koad on September 21.

Senior Sergeant CalweJl said that on Saturday evening last a car was noticed in Upper Queen Street being driven in an erratic manner. A constable traced the. car to Karangahape Koad, and accused came up and said he was the owner, but that a friend and not lie had drfren it. Accused was taken to the Xewton Police Station, where he. was examined by Dr. Pettit, who found that he was only slightly intoxicated and able to do satisfactorily most of the tests put to him. The ear had not been involved in any accident, but thero was no doubt that at the time accused was not in a fit stato to be iii charge of a car.

Mr. T. Henry, counsel for accused, said the latter was in constant employment, was a married man with a wife and child, and had not previously been before the Court. The. case was a very mild one of its kind, and when arrested accused showed indications of only slight intoxication. It was a borderline case. The loss of his license would mean that accused would lose his employment.

Mr. Morling imposed a fine of £2o and cancelled the driver's license for a period of one vear.