Australian deportee guilty of dangerous driving in Mosgiel

Photo / NZME

An Australian deportee, who on his return committed an armed robbery of a Christchurch dairy, has been found guilty of dangerous driving in Mosgiel.

At 8.50pm on January 6, a driver on Gordon Rd noticed Jamal Richard Lawson, 34, driving erratically and approaching their car at high speed.

After tailgating the witness, Lawson drove alongside their car, turning right into Gordon Rd, colliding with the centre railway signal pole and causing “extreme damage”, the Dunedin District Court heard.

One of the witnesses exited their vehicle to assess the damage, only to be almost hit by Lawson as he quickly reversed and fled.

He was later arrested in Burns St.

Lawson smelled of alcohol, had glazed eyes and slurred speech, and admitted to police he had consumed “a large amount of alcohol”.

He refused to take an evidential breath test or a blood test.

Located in the vehicle were four knives — one was a 20cm long kitchen knife.

In 2018, Lawson and a co-offender entered a Christchurch dairy armed with large knives. They held up the staff and demanded cash.

The pair left empty-handed and Lawson was sentenced to intensive supervision after spending time in jail awaiting sentence.

Despite a significant criminal background involving firearms, knives and robberies, Lawson showed no intent to use the blades found in his vehicle.

He was deported from Australia because of his criminal behaviour and was in breach of his release conditions at the time of the most recent accident.

After spending five months in jail, Lawson was sentenced to six and a-half months’ imprisonment and disqualified from driving for nine months.

He was charged with breaching his release conditions, dangerous driving and refusing an evidential breath test.

Because of time already served, he was released immediately after his sentencing on Thursday.