Unrestrained children in car as disqualified driver flees Whanganui police

Michael Waitokia was disqualified from driving indefinitely in 2001 on Monday he appeared in the Whanganui District Court facing four driving charges.

Three unrestrained children were in a car driven by a disqualified driver as he fled police, the Whanganui District Court has heard.

Michael Vincent Waitokia had been stopped by officers on Anzac Parade, Whanganui, near a children's playground after he was clocked doing 87km/h in a 50km/h zone about 7.18pm on November 12, 2020, the police summary of facts states.

Waitokia, who had been indefinitely disqualified from driving 19 years previously in 2001, got out of his car and was approaching police but when they questioned whether he had a driver's licence he got back into the vehicle.

As police got to the car they could see three children, all aged under 5, with one child wearing nappies kneeling on the seat.

Waitokia told the children to put their seatbelts on but none did and, as a police officer reached in to take his car keys, he took off from the scene.

Knowing there were unrestrained children in the car, police did not give chase.

The 49-year-old was again stopped while driving illegally, with a female passenger in the car, on December 17, 2020.

On Monday Waitokia appeared before Judge Dugald Matheson facing two charges of driving while disqualified and one each of failing to stay for police and dangerous driving.

Defence lawyer Debbie Goodlet sought a community-based sentence, telling the court Waitokia had worked incredibly hard during the past few years but unfortunately hadn't managed to get a driver's licence.

Judge Matheson noted early guilty pleas had been entered to the charges but the case had been adjourned again and again.

He said one of Waitokia's bail conditions was not to drive and he had effectively served a greater period of disqualification than could have been imposed.

Waitokia was sentenced to 12 months' supervision, with conditions he obtain a driver's licence, and a total of 150 hours' community work on the charges.

No further disqualification was imposed.