A Taranaki man on trial for methamphetamine charges alongside his partner was overheard fearing he had been “set up” just weeks before their arrest, a court heard.
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A blood test showed a result of 181-milligrams of alcohol per 100-millilitres of blood. The blood alcohol limit for drivers 20 years and over is 50-mg of alcohol per 100-ml of blood. Shaw, an apprentice electrician, told police “he did not know what to do” and so left the scene. He offered no explanation for driving intoxicated and admitted to having consumed two bottles of wine.
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He was sentenced in New Plymouth District Court on Thursday in relation to the offending. In court, defence lawyer Susan Hurley said Shaw had endured a long day before he made the decision to get behind the wheel.
According to the Crown summary of facts, Tai had been travelling along State Highway 3 around 9pm with her partner, son and niece also in the car. While the specifics of the driving incident were not mentioned in the summary, nor in court, it did state Tai had stopped her vehicle, blocking the lane, to confront the victim. Tai and her partner got out of their car and, fearing for her safety, the victim drove away. But they were followed to an address in Lepperton where, in the driveway, Tai punched her in the face a number of times. The woman yelled for help, which prompted her friend to come out of the house.