Teen driver reaches speeds of 180kmh while fleeing police

File photo / NZ Herald

A teenager who reached speeds of 180km/h says he tried to evade police for more than 7km because he didn't want to get a ticket.

Craig Liam Minehan, 17, was convicted of dangerous driving, banned from driving for six months and fined $900 in Greymouth District Court today.

A recent arrival to Hokitika, Minehan was driving on the Mahinapua straight of State Highway 6, just south of Hokitika, when he sped past a parked police car at 133km/h with a car full of teenagers on board on March 8.

When police took up the chase, Minehan reached speeds of up to 180km/h during the 7.3km pursuit.

When he was eventually stopped by police, Minehan said he had failed to stop because he did not want to get a ticket.

Lawyer Richard Bodle said it was a "pretty silly thing" to do.

However, Minehan had since apologised to the police officer he had tried to evade, who had advised him to sell the car he had been driving and do a defensive driving course.

Mr Bodle said Minehan had completed the course, and was in the process of trying to sell the car.