$52,000 in fines cancelled

An 18-year-old driver who clocked up more than $52,000 in unpaid fines has been jailed for two months.

James Moase, who was sentenced in the Whangarei District Court last week, had ignored fines handed out by police since 2006. The $52,515 in fines related to driving breaches.

Moase stood in the dock with his head bowed as Judge Simon Maude read out the sentence. Judge Maude said it was obvious Moase had made no effort to pay off some of his fines and had a track record for not complying with court-imposed sentences.

A probation report suggested home detention or community detention. But the judge opted for two months' jail in exchange for cancelling Moase's outstanding fines.

In two other cases in court on the same day, nearly $30,000 in fines were cancelled.

Jade Colcord, 25, was sentenced to three months' community detention on a charge of breaching community work and his fines of $16,945 were cancelled in return for one month of community detention.

Brian Powell, 23, was sentenced to six months' home detention on a raft of charges and his $12,826 unpaid fines cancelled with no extra penalty added.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE