Auckland lawyer Christopher Harder has been fined $400 after pleading guilty to a charge of careless driving.
The 56-year-old criminal lawyer admitted driving the wrong way down Kingston St near his office in central Auckland last October, forcing a motorcyclist coming the other way to brake.
"I'll take my punishment like a man," Harder told the Auckland District Court this week.
Two plainclothes police officers who were on their way to court were forced to take evasive action.
During the brief hearing on Tuesday, the court heard that Harder was driving his Mercedes-Benz about 9.45am on October 18.
He drove along Federal St and turned into Kingston St, ignoring a No Entry sign.
He then accelerated towards Hobson St.
One police officer had checked the road was clear before crossing, but found himself stranded in the middle as Harder headed in his direction. He managed to get out of the way.
A second officer had to quickly close a door on a police car as Harder passed.
Another vehicle turning legally into Kingston St from Hobson St had to brake and stop at the intersection to avoid colliding with Harder.
"I would have been rushing around the block to get to a parking spot," Harder said.
Later he said: "Do you imagine I would really try to run down two plainclothes drug officers, especially one as handsome as Detective Sergeant Dave Nimmo?"
Lawyer's one-way driving sends policemen running
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