Police drivers to appeal motorcade convictions

Two police officers are appealing their convictions for dangerous driving arising from Prime Minister Helen Clark's South Canterbury motorcade in July 2004.

The Timaru Herald reported today that Police Association president Greg O'Connor yesterday confirmed constables Ian Howard of Timaru and Simon Vincent of Ashburton had filed appeal papers and were awaiting a hearing date.

Mr O'Connor would not elaborate on what grounds were being used for the appeal, saying that was in the hands of the officers' lawyer.

The case is expected to be heard in Christchurch.

In December the Prime Minister's civilian driver involved in the high-speed motorcade between Waimate and Christchurch won his appeal against charges of dangerous driving charge and following too close.

The man, who has name suppression, had been found guilty in Timaru District Court in August last year.

He and two police drivers in other cars were convicted after conveying Helen Clark from Waimate to Christchurch airport at high speed so she could make a flight back to Wellington to attend an All Blacks rugby test.

Helen Clark's driver appealed his district court convictions to the High Court at Timaru and Justice Mark Cooper found the conviction was of more significance for the driver than for the police officers who were also convicted.

He said the district court judge had overstated the gravity of the driver's offending, but also understated the consequences, for him, of a conviction.

The trial was told it took 96 minutes for the motorcade to travel from Waimate to Christchurch Airport, covering the 205.6km at an average speed of 128.5km/h.

The two constables were each fined $675 after being found guilty.

- NZPA