Last chance to comply with orders

A 23YEAROLD was given one last chance to comply with court orders yesterday, Judge John BrandtsGiesen saying in the Queenstown District Court he would ‘‘almost certainly’’ go back to prison if he failed.

Claude StewartHudson, concrete worker, of Frankton, was sentenced for driving while disqualified for the third time, on May 25 last year; threatening to burn a woman’s house down, knowing his conduct was reasonably likely to intimidate her; and intentionally damaging the woman’s vehicle, both on January 25 in Queenstown.

In respect of the latter charges, Judge BrandtsGiesen said the summary of facts was ‘‘not happy reading’’.

His conduct towards the woman, who was his partner, was ‘‘disgraceful’’ and ‘‘yet another example of domestic violence’’, he said.

‘‘You need to treat her with respect, as you must treat everyone else in this respect.’’

On both of those charges he was sentenced to 80 hours’ community work.

With regard to his third charge of driving while disqualified, lawyer Louise Denton made specialreasons applications for either no disqualification, or for any disqualification to be substituted by a communitybased sentence.

StewartHudson had been disqualified from driving for nine months last January, and was, at that time, sentenced to two months’ imprisonment.

On May 25 he was found by police driving.

Judge BrandtsGiesen said StewartHudson had several previous charges for breaching courtimposed sentences, including community work and supervision.

‘‘Such defiance by a young man is of concern to any court.’’

While Judge BrandtsGiesen found there were no special reasons for not imposing a disqualification, he was convinced it was appropriate to substitute the disqualification.

StewartHudson was in employment — his employer hired him straight out of prison, ‘‘took a risk and gave you a job’’.

His willingness to work hard was something he could take credit for, and he had shown he had the required skills.

‘‘I’m going to give you a chance, but that chance has got strings attached to it.’’

For driving while disqualified, he was sentenced to 12 months’ intensive supervision, with conditions, and 150 hours’ community work.

That sentence was to be judicially reviewed and any noncompliance or reoffending would result in resentencing.

‘‘Almost certainly . . . you’ll go to prison.

‘‘All of this may sound a lot to you, and you may not be inclined to cooperate with it.

‘‘I would suggest to you that this is your last chance.

‘‘Do not let me down, do not let your employer down, do not let yourself down.’’