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Woman warned over drink driving

Wednesday 12 April 2023 | Written by Losirene Lacanivalu | Published in Court, National

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Woman warned over drink driving
Photo: GETTY IMAGES

An 18-year-old has been warned that further offending in relation to driving under the influence of alcohol could see her serving jail time.

Constance Napa who was already disqualified from driving due to an EBA charge.

Yesterday, she was further disqualified from driving for another 12months. This will be in concurrent to the previous charge which is expected to end in December

Napa was convicted for the charges of excess blood alcohol, driving while disqualified and careless driving.

In February this year, she drove carelessly while being intoxicated and crashed. Her EBA reading was 166milligrams.

Defence lawyer Mark Short said Napa had already completed six weeks of counselling. He said that when young people return from overseas they are not prepared for the new transition in Rarotonga.

He said his client has tried to do all the right things and did not purposely try and avoid responsibility.

Police prosecutor senior sergeant Fairoa Tararo recommended an 18 months disqualification from driving stating this was a second charge and the sentencing could not be less than 12 months.

Justice of the Peace Georgina Williams acknowledged Napa’s early guilty plea, her employers commended her and that she attended counselling.

JP Williams said if she offended again in a similar nature she would be in jail.

Napa was ordered to pay a fine of $350, blood analysis reparations of $150 for the EBA charge, $100 each for the charge of driving while disqualified and careless driving. She was also ordered to pay $50 court costs for each charge.

In another matter, Ngamata Miriau was convicted and ordered to pay a fine of $100 and $50 court cost for a careless driving charge.

Miriau was also ordered to pay reparations of $2363.

Elena Mataora, a first time offender was convicted and ordered to pay $350 for an excess blood alcohol charge with $50 court cost.

She was disqualified from driving for 12 months.

On the charge of careless driving, JP Williams discharged the matter without conviction.