A failed application for an alcohol interlock licence led to a heated exchange in Masterton District Court yesterday.
David Bowring, who was convicted of drink-driving in November last year, told the court during sentencing that the judicial system was “f***ing stupid”.
His outburst came after Judge Barbara Morris said he was ineligible for an interlock licence. In response, Morris suggested Bowring refrain from drink driving, and temporarily adjourned the sentencing for him to regain composure. An hour later, a contrite Bowring was recalled. “Your Honour, I would like to apologise for my outburst before. It is not your fault.”
Morris said Bowring’s offending, which included speeding in a 50km zone with an alcohol reading of 919 micrograms per litre of breath, could have gone extremely wrong. “The higher the reading, the higher the risk.” She said there was nothing different from Bowring’s case and another where someone was killed “except a bit of luck and a couple of lines”.
Morris said Bowring’s early guilty plea was to his credit and took into account personal issues he was dealing with at the time. She disqualified Bowring from driving for one year and one day and ordered him to undertake alcohol counselling.
Child sex offender breaches conditions
A convicted child sex offender who breached conditions multiple times has been sentenced to eight and a half months in prison.
The man, who was convicted of indecent assault in 2018, pleaded guilty to four charges of breaching conditions of the child sex offender register. Judge Barbara Morris told the man during sentencing in the Masterton District Court that the starting point for the breaches was imprisonment. She said police discovered during the course of investigating another matter that a nine-year-old child was living with the man.
“You did not disclose that fact to corrections, you did not disclose that she was living at the address.” Morris said the failure to disclose the information was the most serious of his breaches, which included not disclosing a phone or vehicle.
“Your guilty plea shows that you understand you breached your provision.” Morris said 11 months was the starting point due to the number and severity of the breaches. She said the man’s early guilty plea was to his credit and reduced the sentence to eight and a half months.
The man was not subject to any release conditions but would remain subject to the reporting regime associated with being a registered sex offender.
