PM's motorcade driver wins appeal

The civilian driver found guilty of dangerous driving in the Prime Minister's speeding motorcade case has won his appeal.

The man, who has name suppression, was at the wheel of Helen Clark's limousine during her controversial high speed trip between Waimate and Christchurch last year. He was convicted of dangerous driving and fined in August.

The driver's lawyer Jonathon Eaton argued at the appeal hearing that the judge had erred by treating the driver and the two policemen who were also convicted, as a group rather than individually.

Mr Eaton said his client was very pleased about the court's decision. He told National Radio: "On analysis, particularly regarding the approach regarding sentencing, it struck me that the judge hadn't distinguished between all the three drivers who were convicted, and that there was certainly an arguable basis to distinguish between them.

"That's one of the key reasons upon which the High Court has found he should be discharged without conviction."

The High Court hearing was held in late October and Justice Cooper reserved his decision until today.

At the original trial in August the man, who works for a company contracted by the Crown, was fined $675, and ordered to pay $130 court costs.

He was also convicted and discharged on a charge of travelling too close. He was acquitted on another charge of dangerous driving and one of careless driving.

The charges stemmed from the Prime Minister's rush trip from Waimate to Christchurch to catch a plane to Wellington for a Bledisloe Cup rugby game in July 2004.

The trial was told it was 96 minutes from the time the motorcade left Waimate to when it arrived at Christchurch Airport.

It had travelled 205.6km at an average speed of 128.5km/h.

In total, five police officers and the civilian driver were originally accused of dangerous driving. Two of the officers plus the civilian driver were found guilty at the trial in August.

National Party deputy leader Gerry Brownlee congratulated the driver, but said it was a shame two police officers still had convictions against their names for their roles in the high-speed motorcade.

"It's just a shame that Helen Clark couldn't have done the right thing from the start and taken responsibility."

- NEWSTALK ZB, HERALD STAFF, NZPA