Fined £100 And No Licence For Ten Years

Chronicle (Levin), 6 November 1948, Page 5

Fined £100 And No Licence For Ten Years

Press Assodatlovj

(Per

• AUCKLAND, Nov. 5. A motorist was fined £100 and had his driving licence spspended aird was debarred from obtaihing anotfter for 10 years when he appeared before Mr. Justice Finlay for sentenee on the eount of negligent driving and eausing bodily injury. He was James Harold Lewis, earrier and salesman, aged 32. His Honour Commented that a medical report showed that prisoner piiffered from epilepsy, malcing it dangerous for 'him to drive both beeause of his complaint whieh might affect him at any time and beeause of his resultant extreme susceptibility to alcohol. The charge arose out of an acciden+ when a motor car driven by prisoner, ran into the rear of a stationary tratn and pinned a boy against it, eausing him severe injuries. The jurv found him guilty of driving negligently but not guilty of driving while intoxicated. ' His Honour commented that in its verdiet on the intoxicatxon charge, the iury did not know what the Court now knew. However, he could only deal tvith the case on therbasis of negligenceA cemembering that the boy had probably been alfected for life. - , ' ' I want to go on ' record, ' ' said his Honour, in disqualifying prisoner from obtaining a licence for 10 years, "as saying that whoever assumes the responsibility of granting him a licenCc either during the period or at any time afterward, is assuming a responsibility that is graver and more serious in the public intorest than I, with present 'knowledge, woulcl"c1ream' of assuming."