May 02, 2013

Family confrontation at court

By David Clarkson. The mother of a teenager killed in a crash in a stolen car was bundled shouting of a court where the alleged driver ? a Mongrel Mob member ? was being sentenced on other matters.

The confrontation continued outside the Christchurch Court House afterwards, but the police separated the two groups until they could drive off.

The Mob member cannot be named because he is in custody facing trial on a charge of manslaughter of the 15-year-old by dangerous driving.

He was appearing in court for an unrelated assault committed at Picton on December 18, when he reacted to an exchange of words by attacking a man at a cafe table and striking him with a plastic chair.

Duty lawyer Grant Tyrrell said the assault involved one strike with the chair, and caused no injury.

It led to the unemployed gang member, aged 25, being charged with assault with a weapon, and he also faced charges of careless driving and driving while forbidden by the police.

A large group of his supporters turned up at the Christchurch District Court for the sentencing, as well as members of the dead teenager?s family.

The groups exchanged words in the public seating before the sitting began, and were told to stay quiet by the police.

When the gang member was called, the boy?s mother began yelling and was bundled out of the court, along with other family members. ?Hang yourself. You killed my son,? she shouted.

Judge Alistair Garland jailed the man for three months and disqualified him from driving for six months. He noted that he had committed these offences while on bail for possession of an offensive weapon.

He was told that imprisonment was the only option because the man was being held in custody pending a High Court trial.

He said the attack had occurred ?brazenly? in daylight in an area often occupied by the public. ?The public are sick and tired of the way gang members often conduct themselves.?