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Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Driving offences high on Dannevirke court list

Hawkes Bay Today
19 Dec, 2019 05:34 PM4 mins to read

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Driving offences were high on the list in Dannevirke District Court. Photo / File

Driving offences were high on the list in Dannevirke District Court. Photo / File

A judge told a Dannevirke woman facing her fourth conviction for drink-driving there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel.

Tiria Te Aroha Ida Renee Vella, 35, was appearing for sentence in Dannevirke District Court before Judge Lance Rowe.

The court was told Vella, who was due to have a baby, had two children living with family in Flaxmere and another child living with its aunt and was under the care of Oranga Tamariki.

Counsel Darren Foster said Vella was very focused on her children, especially the one on the way, and that she had given up drinking and using drugs.

He said she was also worried about her brother.

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In his submissions Foster asked if the court could step back from community detention and look at imposing intensive supervision on Vella.

Judge Lance Rowe asked Vella when her baby was due. She told him it was due in February but she wasn't sure of the date.

In looking at Vella's history of drink-driving Judge Rowe said she was convicted of driving with a breath-alcohol level of 1118 in 2006, a reading of 481 in 2012 and 811 in 2014.

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Her latest breath-alcohol charge was for driving with a level of 800 which occurred on April 4. The legal limit is 250mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.

"You were driving in the main street of Dannevirke at 8pm on a Wednesday, that's a time when there are plenty of people on the road. You were more than three times the legal limit."

He said it was a very high alcohol level, and Vella was putting so many people at risk.

"You have on-going issues but you are trying to re-establish care of your children. It seems you have a fair amount to do to achieve that."

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Judge Rowe said at times things seemed to be quite chaotic for Vella, but there seemed to be light at the end of the tunnel.

He said it would be better for Vella if she wasn't wearing a bracelet when she was having her baby so he sentenced her to two months' community detention with a curfew of 7pm to 7am and 12 months' supervision.

He ordered her to undertake any programmes, treatment or counselling as directed by the Probation Service and that the interlock regime would apply.

After 28 days' loss of licence she could apply for an interlock device which would immobilise her vehicle if it detected alcohol. After a year she could then apply for a zero alcohol licence that would be in force for three years.

"The whole point of that is to keep everybody safe on the roads, including yourself."

Judge Rowe remitted $4000 in outstanding fines.

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But he issued Vella with a warning.

"You need to show some compliance with this sentence."

Also appearing on a driving charge was Mariano Hapai Vella, 30, shearer.

He was facing his third or subsequent charge of driving while disqualified and two breaches of community work.

At an earlier court appearance Vella was told to get his restricted licence, which he had not done, and he had failed to carry out any of the community work he had been sentenced to after losing his licence for pre-existing demerit points.

He had been ordered to report to community corrections but he had failed to do that.

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Foster, who was also representing Mariano Vella, said he was trying hard to get himself back on the straight and narrow.

"He has just started a firewood business and he is working hard on that. He has five children and he is trying to provide a living for them."

He told the court Vella had gained his learner's licence in April and he had a partner who was keeping him stable.

"Something is changing within him."

However, Judge Rowe noted that in 2016 while sentenced to community detention Vella had cut off his bracelet.

"I decline to deprive your children of you over Christmas."

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He remanded Vella to reappear on January 13 and noted that a new charge was pending.

"The starting point for sentencing is imprisonment, but there is something you can do about that. Otherwise you are leaving us with no options. You need to adjust your life."

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