Judges line road users up in their sights again

Judge Davidson this week did not impose any disqualification and imposed 200 hours of community work on Alan Hogg for his 31st, 32nd, 33rd and 34th conviction for driving while disqualified.

Three of these offences were committed while Hogg was on bail. "These bizarre and dangerous kinds of Judgements are unprecedented in the First World," say Candor.

Hogg was also convicted in relation to possession of methamphetamine and associated offences. Hogg has 13 drink-driving, as well as one for dangerous driving.

Drink and drug driving is always dangerous say Candor. And this community work sentence makes a mockery of Polices efforts to keep our roads safe and of the recently introduced three strike system.

"If the Judge had any regard for the law and the fact it is supposedly shaped by community values, then this offender would have been disqualified at the least," says Candor Trust Spokeswoman Rachael Ford

"And furthermore, as per the three strike system Hogg would be disallowed from driving again for at least two years and not without a clearance as regards his addictoive illness being properly managed".

Mr Hogg is currently learning to drive and is two months away from getting his restricted licence, and the Judge said Hogg having completed a driver improvement course was a significant step towards reforming.

But Candor says Judge Davidson's thinking is twisted.

"We know better. We know that many drink and drug drivers who are inappropriately placed on these courses, instead of being directed to attend treatment facilities for addictions or disqualified end up killing,"say Candor.

The Judge commented that Hoggs latest sentence should help him to live, work "and prosper" without offending.

But the law of probabilities and hundreds of studies which have informed three strike impaired driver laws all around the world indicate this opinion isn't well founded.

"You don't need to look far. Take the case of Luke Voice, who was just recalled to prison for reoffending while on home detention for killing the Mother of a Candor Member while DUI drugs".

Forty days before he killed her in a head on collision he too was sentenced to driving school over a prior drug driving crash.

Obviously due to some wacky belief that known dangerous offenders have some inalienable right to drive which has gained currency on the bench.

Candor Trust asks when if ever Judges are going to desist from being the co-offenders of violent offenders.

And when they will realise that public transport eg buses, trains or alternately cycles and legs are there both to help the environment and to keep "wannabe" killers from predating. "Hogg is not an amputee yet - let him walk to work".

Do Judges plan to soon begin offering collective apologies like the NZ Parole Board when their touchy feely experiments with what is equivalent handing gun licenses to lunatics fail?

The inquiry called for by NZ First not long ago into sentencing around driving cases is clearly warranted. The Judiciary is simply not getting it, and has even lately sought to remove month long disqualifications for some high risk offenders.

ENDS

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