Tear-away driver jailed
A tear-away driver’s repeat offending by getting involved in two police chases has led to a nine-month jail term and indefinite disqualification from driving.
“You engaged in very dangerous driving activity that put other drivers as risk,” Christchurch District Court Judge Paul Kellar told 21-year-old Dane Carr.
He noted that Carr had a bad history of similar offending over a short period, and when he was arrested for the second police chase he was in breach of bail conditions that he not drive after 7pm.
Judge Kellar said Carr’s offending arose from use of alcohol, his attitude, his associates, and his sense of entitlement. He was seen as a high risk of reoffending. He has already served one jail term.
Carr had spoken of facing up to the consequences of his offending and dealing with his issues, before he put in guilty pleas to a list of charges in July. He had been considered for a home detention sentence, but Judge Kellar ruled it out.
Defence counsel Jeff McCall said Carr’s pre-sentence report was positive and a rehabilitative sentence was recommended. He had expressed genuine remorse and accepted responsibility.
Carr admitted charges of dangerous driving, failing to stop for the police, refusing to allow a blood specimen to be taken, driving while suspended, unlawfully getting into a vehicle, and drink-driving.
The first police pursuit happened on June 14, 2014, when he sped away from police in Deans Avenue at more than 80km an hour.
The second pursuit happened on July 1 this year when Carr sped off from police in Linwood, again driving at 80kmh. He was arrested after being tracked by police dogs when the pursuit ended. He resisted and was handcuffed, Judge Kellar said.
The judge said Carr’s performance on previous community sentences “does not inspire confidence”.
He jailed him for nine months, and disqualified him for a finite term of 13 months, but also imposed an indefinite disqualification. Carr will have to apply to get his driving licence back after the finite term ends.
Category: News
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