Judge warns meth boy racer after 14th offence in four years

The driver has been convicted multiple times for sustained loss of traction otherwise known as burnouts. Photo / 123rf

A judge has warned a young driver who has committed 14 offences in four years that he’ll end up killing someone if he doesn’t change his ways.

 

“Wait until you end up in the high court on a homicide charge. You want that, you’re going down the right track,” an unimpressed Judge Gene Tomlinson told Tobias Frische when he appeared in court last week on his second driving while impaired charge in two years.

The 23-year-old was the second person to appear for sentencing in the Whangārei District Court last Monday for driving while high on methamphetamine.

The first was Para Hendriks, who caused a car crash after recording 270 micrograms per litre of blood. Frische had an even higher level of 380 micrograms and also tested positive for cannabis use.

The court heard it was Frische’s 14th related driving offence in four years, with most convictions being for sustained loss of traction (burnouts) and driving while disqualified.

Over the past three years, Frische has been sentenced to multiple rounds of community work, disqualifications and was given two final warnings by other judges who were hopeful he could change his behaviour.

“I’ve got a man here who is arrogant, does not care about anyone else and has a poor record of driving in a short amount of time,” Judge Tomlinson said.

“At what point do we say enough is enough because he hasn’t got the message? He is a danger and he will kill someone,” Judge Tomlinson said to defence lawyer Connor Taylor.

At that point, Frische’s mother interjected from the public gallery and said: “You’re lucky he’s even here.”

“Did you just say to me ‘I’m lucky he’s here’?” Judge Tomlinson questioned.

A discussion was then had around Frische’s migraine condition, which the judge respectfully suggested he seek professional medical help for, instead of using cannabis to alleviate the issue.

Judge Tomlinson said Frische was not a child anymore and his record was appalling for someone his age.

“People think they have got all the control in the world, like they’re a Japanese drift driver, they’re not.”

 

Frische was given one last chance and sentenced to five months’ home detention.

“You come here again, there will only be one outcome and that will be imprisonment.”

Shannon Pitman is a Whangārei-based reporter for Open Justice covering courts in the Te Tai Tokerau region. She is of Ngāpuhi/ Ngāti Pūkenga descent and has worked in digital media for the past five years. She joined NZME in 2023.