Driver’s licence blown away by ‘fly-bys’
A judge has coined the term “fly-bys” for drive-off petrol thefts while taking the driving licence off a 25-year-old offender.
Christchurch District Court Judge David Saunders disqualified Daniel Eric Small for three months and ordered him to pay his half-share of the reparations for four petrol drive-offs and stealing a number plate from a trailer to use in the thefts.
That’s a total of $106 for Small, who was released under intensive supervision for a year with an order to do training or counselling as required.
He will also have to do 120 hours of community work for the thefts and for an assault with intent to injure on his ex-partner. Defence counsel Allister Davis said the assault had occurred after Small had been punched and bitten and kicked in the testicles.
Police had asked for disqualifications for Small and his co-offender when they pleaded guilty to the thefts on October 29, and Judge Saunders agreed.
He said it had not been Small’s car but he had received the benefit of being drive around with the stolen petrol.
“A term of disqualification is a means of deterring people from doing these ‘flybys’,” Judge Saunders said.
Small’s mother had travelled from Nelson to support him at the sentencing, and had offered her address if home detention was imposed. Small is unemployed but has a forklift driving qualification and is now seeking work.
The co-offender, Daniel Johnathan Sixtus, 24, is due for sentence next week.
Category: Focus
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