DRUNKEN DRIVING CASES

Taupo Times, Volume IV, Issue 205, 6 January 1956, Page 1

DRUNKEN DRIVING CASES

In the Magistrate's Court, Taupo, on - Tuesday, December 27, before Justices of the Peace, two cases involving the driving of motor vehicles while intoxicated were heard. Both defendants had had a previous conviction for the same offence. Constable W. D. Mills, prosecuting, stated that Jack Cecil Krushka, who pleaded guilty, had been followed from the Napier Road turnoff to Mere Road by Traffic Ofiicer S. Miller, about 6.50 p.m. on December 23, and found him to be under the influence of drink. Defendant had been certified by a doctor as being unfit to drive, but the doctor stated it was not an extreme case. Defendant, who had been previously convicted in 1951, was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment in Tongariro Prison. His driving licence was cancelled for a period of five years, an amending Act of last October having increased from three to five years the period of disqualification in cases of second convictions for this offence. Hunia Ihaia, who pleaded guilty, had been apprehended when driving from Ruapehu Street into Lake Terrace Road about 6 p.m. on Monday, December 26. There was a stream of traffic on the Lake front road at the time and defendant had driven across this and an accident was narrowly averted. He was found to be very drunk. Defendant had held a driver s licence for about six weeks only following twelve months' disqualification on a previous conviction in November 1954. He was sentenced to 14 days in Tongariro Prison and his driving licence cancelled for five years.