- Judge lets 'idiot' driver off for speeding from police
- By DAVID MURRAY
- 05/03/2015 Make a Comment (1)
- Contributed by: Johnsie ( 3 articles in 2015 )
Magistrate Pam Dowse stunned police with her decision.
A DRIVER who fled from police has been let off without a penalty after a magistrate declared tough mandatory sentences for the offence were “ridiculous” and refused to enforce them.
In a decision that has stunned police, Tairon Karaitiana was given an absolute discharge, despite admitting he sped from officers because he was not meant to be driving at night.
Magistrate Pam Dowse even called Mr Karaitiana an “idiot” and questioned whether she would keep her job over the sentencing at Beaudesert Magistrates Court in November, The Courier-Mail can reveal.
“It is absolutely discharged,” Ms Dowse told Mr Karaitiana.
“I understand how unpalatable that is to the police. They will watch you — that’s if I get to maintain my job after this. You had better go.”
Mandatory sentences introduced by the former Newman government require drivers who flee police to be fined $5500, or be imprisoned, and lose their licence for two years.
The penalties were introduced in August 2012 to stop people evading police, who have been banned from high-speed pursuits except in life-threatening emergencies.
Police have launched an appeal against Mr Karaitiana’s sentence — the latest controversial case to emerge in The Courier-Mail’s investigation into the state’s magistrates.
Court documents say officers tried to pull Mr Karaitiana over after seeing him driving erratically on Tamborine Mountain at 12.45am.
Mr Karaitiana sped up and police had to abandon their pursuit after reaching 110km/h in an 80km/h zone.
Mr Karaitiana handed himself in to police the next day and said he had panicked. He had previously been convicted of drink driving after blowing 0.168 and was on a late-night driving restriction.
But he had glowing references and told the court he had a full-time job.
Ms Dowse said: “I have to fine you $5500 and I have to disqualify you for two years. Now, how ridiculous. It’s a very harsh law. The message is, you have to do as the police ask you to do.
“However, I happen to think that’s very severe.
“I’m stuck because you’re an idiot.”
Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath yesterday said she had “requested a brief on the issue”.
In a decision that has stunned police, Tairon Karaitiana was given an absolute discharge, despite admitting he sped from officers because he was not meant to be driving at night.
Magistrate Pam Dowse even called Mr Karaitiana an “idiot” and questioned whether she would keep her job over the sentencing at Beaudesert Magistrates Court in November, The Courier-Mail can reveal.
“It is absolutely discharged,” Ms Dowse told Mr Karaitiana.
“I understand how unpalatable that is to the police. They will watch you — that’s if I get to maintain my job after this. You had better go.”
Mandatory sentences introduced by the former Newman government require drivers who flee police to be fined $5500, or be imprisoned, and lose their licence for two years.
The penalties were introduced in August 2012 to stop people evading police, who have been banned from high-speed pursuits except in life-threatening emergencies.
Police have launched an appeal against Mr Karaitiana’s sentence — the latest controversial case to emerge in The Courier-Mail’s investigation into the state’s magistrates.
Court documents say officers tried to pull Mr Karaitiana over after seeing him driving erratically on Tamborine Mountain at 12.45am.
Mr Karaitiana sped up and police had to abandon their pursuit after reaching 110km/h in an 80km/h zone.
Mr Karaitiana handed himself in to police the next day and said he had panicked. He had previously been convicted of drink driving after blowing 0.168 and was on a late-night driving restriction.
But he had glowing references and told the court he had a full-time job.
Ms Dowse said: “I have to fine you $5500 and I have to disqualify you for two years. Now, how ridiculous. It’s a very harsh law. The message is, you have to do as the police ask you to do.
“However, I happen to think that’s very severe.
“I’m stuck because you’re an idiot.”
Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath yesterday said she had “requested a brief on the issue”.
Source: https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/judge-lets-idiot-driver-off-for-speeding-from-police/story-fnihsrf2-1227247042794#itm=newscomau|home|nca-homepage-masthead-feature|1|heading|homepage|home
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