Post by naki on Feb 5, 2009 13:30:46 GMT 12
Devon St 100km/h driver jailed
By GLENN MCLEAN glenn.mclean@tnl.co.nz - Taranaki Daily News | Thursday, 05 February 2009
Troy Bradley Thomas has been jailed for drunk driving down New Plymouth's Devon St that seriously injured two people.
An offer to pay his victims $20,000 has not been enough to save a dangerous drunk driver from imprisonment.
Troy Bradley Thomas, 38, of Hawera, has been jailed for 20 months for driving drunk down New Plymouth's Devon St at speeds of up to 100km/h before crashing into an oncoming car being driven by Derek Shotbolt.
Thomas had a blood alcohol reading of 293 milligrams, almost four times the legal limit of 80mg.
Mr Shotbolt, along with his wife Christine, suffered serious injuries in the crash.
In the New Plymouth District Court yesterday, defence counsel Kylie Pascoe said Thomas had $4300 ready to give the Shotbolts as emotional harm reparation.
He was also prepared to pay the injured couple $20,000, providing he was sentenced to home detention and could continue to work to pay off the debt.
Ms Pascoe said Thomas was in no way trying to minimise his offending when, on October 18, he sped without warning down the city's main street, swerving on to the right-hand lane, before passing two cars in the built-up area.
He continued for some distance down Devon St, twice becoming airborne after hitting raised pedestrian crossings. The force of the impact with the Shotbolts' car spun it around 360 degrees, before the car slammed into a steel rail.
Judge Allan Roberts rejected the defence's plea for a non-custodial sentence, as well as the $20,000 offer, citing Thomas' previous offending and the seriousness of the crime as the main reasons.
Thomas, a South African national, has had two previous drink-drive convictions since 2004.
Judge Roberts said "it defies explanation" how Thomas could drive so badly in a built-up area in the middle of the afternoon.
He ordered the $4300 be paid to the victims, jailed Thomas and disqualified him from driving for three years.
Christine Shotbolt said she was pleased Thomas was not given home detention, but she cared little about the sentence.
"Derek is still in a lot of pain," she said. "It was a crazy, senseless thing to do and we're suffering for it. I didn't really care what he got because it's not going to help us in any way."
Thomas' wife, along with several supporters, left the court looking bemused.
By GLENN MCLEAN glenn.mclean@tnl.co.nz - Taranaki Daily News | Thursday, 05 February 2009
Troy Bradley Thomas has been jailed for drunk driving down New Plymouth's Devon St that seriously injured two people.
An offer to pay his victims $20,000 has not been enough to save a dangerous drunk driver from imprisonment.
Troy Bradley Thomas, 38, of Hawera, has been jailed for 20 months for driving drunk down New Plymouth's Devon St at speeds of up to 100km/h before crashing into an oncoming car being driven by Derek Shotbolt.
Thomas had a blood alcohol reading of 293 milligrams, almost four times the legal limit of 80mg.
Mr Shotbolt, along with his wife Christine, suffered serious injuries in the crash.
In the New Plymouth District Court yesterday, defence counsel Kylie Pascoe said Thomas had $4300 ready to give the Shotbolts as emotional harm reparation.
He was also prepared to pay the injured couple $20,000, providing he was sentenced to home detention and could continue to work to pay off the debt.
Ms Pascoe said Thomas was in no way trying to minimise his offending when, on October 18, he sped without warning down the city's main street, swerving on to the right-hand lane, before passing two cars in the built-up area.
He continued for some distance down Devon St, twice becoming airborne after hitting raised pedestrian crossings. The force of the impact with the Shotbolts' car spun it around 360 degrees, before the car slammed into a steel rail.
Judge Allan Roberts rejected the defence's plea for a non-custodial sentence, as well as the $20,000 offer, citing Thomas' previous offending and the seriousness of the crime as the main reasons.
Thomas, a South African national, has had two previous drink-drive convictions since 2004.
Judge Roberts said "it defies explanation" how Thomas could drive so badly in a built-up area in the middle of the afternoon.
He ordered the $4300 be paid to the victims, jailed Thomas and disqualified him from driving for three years.
Christine Shotbolt said she was pleased Thomas was not given home detention, but she cared little about the sentence.
"Derek is still in a lot of pain," she said. "It was a crazy, senseless thing to do and we're suffering for it. I didn't really care what he got because it's not going to help us in any way."
Thomas' wife, along with several supporters, left the court looking bemused.
