A former top Queenstown downhill mountain biker has dodged a conviction for drink-driving.
Sam Robbie, who in 2018 won the Oceania under-19 champs in the sport, successfully applied for a discharge without conviction in Queenstown’s court this week.
The 22-year-old was riding an unregistered, child-sized motorbike when he was pulled over at a random stop in Goldfield Heights’ Panners Way about 3am on Christmas Day.
A breath-alcohol test gave a result of 499mcg, or just under twice the legal limit.
Counsel Louise Denton said he’d just left a party where others were riding the mini motorbikes in the street, prompting noise complaints from neighbours.
As a result, a patrol car was sitting at the top of the cul-de-sac.
Robbie had only ridden about 20 metres, at low speed, when he was stopped, Denton said.
He immediately told the cops he’d made a ‘‘bad decision’’ to think he was OK to ride, and admitted the charge at the first opportunity.
The offending was out of character, he had a clean criminal record and was unlikely to reoffend, she said.
Robbie had competed as a downhill racer as a youth, but a concussion had put his participation in the sport on hold, potentially costing him a pro contract.
When his return to the sport was delayed by Covid, he’d embarked on a building apprenticeship with the intention of returning to competitive racing this year.
However, the drink-driving charge forced him to ‘‘put everything on hold’’.
He’d subsequently taken up motocross racing, and planned to compete in that sport as well.
A conviction could prevent him from entering Canada for up to five years, and potentially other countries as well, which would ‘‘effect the viability of his sporting career’’, Denton said.
Judge Bernadette Farnan said Robbie’s sporting CV showed his plans to compete overseas were not merely aspirational.
Although police opposed the application, she accepted the consequences of a conviction were out of proportion to the offending’s low seriousness.
She granted the discharge, ordered Robbie to make a $500 payment to either The Right Track programme or St John, and disqualified him from driving for six months.
Ram bam boom
An Invercargill man’s due to appear in the southern city’s court today on charges relating to the ‘ram-raid’ of a Queenstown bank earlier this month.
It’ll be the second time in court for the man, aged in his 50s, who was arrested after police spiked his vehicle near Kingston.
He’s been charged with intentional damage, dangerous driving and failing to stop.
More charges are expected.
About 11.45pm on March 10, stunned passers-by watched on as the man reversed a white hatchback three times into the glass frontage of the BNZ’s Camp Street branch, where an ATM’s located.
Whatever his intentions, he drove away empty-handed.
Witness video shows him casually getting out of the car to inspect the damage, before getting back in to give it another crack.
He drove off just as cops arrived on the scene.
Other sentences
●Benjamin John Brian Scragg, 21, of Queenstown, disqualified driving, Twizel-Omarama Highway, January 3, 60 hours’ community work.
●Matthaeus Te Raroa Heimer, 23, of Queenstown, disqualified driving, Frankton Road, February 6, fined $250, disqualified six months.
●David Raroa, 50, of Frankton, breaching release conditions, February 9, convicted and discharged.
●Jiaxing Xiong, 27, hotel worker, of Shotover Country, careless driving causing injury, Jones Avenue, March 10, reparation $1000, disqualified six months.
●Riki Pene Kupa, 44, security officer, of Frankton, assault, breaching protection order, aggravated drink-driving (84mg), Remarkables Cres,
August 21, disqualified 13 months, nine months’ supervision.
●Ryan Michael Sandberg, 26, film production worker, of the US, careless driving causing injury, Kingston Highway, March 21, discharged, reparation $2500.
●Louis Travanian Ashburn er, 27, builder, of Wānaka, drink-driving (523mcg), Glenavon Green, March 3, fined $600, disqualified six months.
●Matthew James Owers, 29, of Cromwell, drink-driving (890mcg), Frankton Rd, March 5, fined $500, disqualified 28 days, alcohol interlock.
