Flouting a driving ban leads to jail

A Whangarei man has been sentenced to nine months in jail and banned from driving indefinitely after his 12th drink driving conviction.

A Whangarei man with 11 previous convictions for driving while suspended again got behind the wheel - this time to drive his partner through Auckland to celebrate New Year.

Richard Takimoana's continued flouting of the law landed him in prison when he appeared for sentencing in Whangarei District Court this week.

He was sentenced to nine months in jail and banned from driving indefinitely. Takimoana was first indefinitely disqualified from driving by Kaikohe District Court in July 1998. The last time prior to this week's court appearance he was indefinitely disqualified was in 2013.

Judge Duncan Harvey said about midday on January 1, this year, Takimoana was driving along Queen St in central Auckland when he was stopped by police on an unrelated matter. Enquiries revealed he had been suspended from driving.

Takimoana said he knew he was a disqualified driver but he was driving his partner down Queen St to celebrate New Year.

Judge Harvey said a pre-sentence report pointed out Takimoana had a sense of entitlement and his likelihood of reoffending was high. The recommendation of prison, he said, was hardly surprising and Takimoana's re-offending had got to a stage where deterrent was the most important factor.

The judge said the moment people started disregarding court orders, the whole justice system started to crumble.