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SIMON O’CONNOR / STUFF / Stuff
In Hāwera District Court on Tuesday, 30-year-old Phillip Tawhai Taylor admitted to obstructing or perverting the course of justice, a charge with a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
A Taranaki man who was caught driving under the influence gave police details about his brother and went on to pose as his brother in court.
As a result, his brother received a conviction, a $ 1,500 fine, and a 12-month disqualification from driving.
The brother only found out after receiving a letter from the courts warning him of the need to pay the fine, according to a police summary of the events.
In Hāwera District Court on Tuesday, 30-year-old Phillip Tawhai Taylor admitted to obstructing or perverting the course of justice, a charge with a maximum penalty of seven years in prison.
He also admitted driving against an alcohol lockout license and driving with excess alcohol.
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The police summary says Taylor was convicted in Auckland of driving under the influence for the third time or later in September 2019 and, as part of his sentence, the court required him to install an alcohol interlock device in any vehicle that drive.
This device prevents the vehicle from starting if the driver has alcohol on his breath.
But on June 22, Taylor was pulled over by police in Whanganui and found to be driving a vehicle without a locking device.
When he took the breath test, he read 499 micrograms, or twice the legal limit of 250 mcg.
Taylor gave the police his brother’s details instead of his own.
On July 14, he appeared to be sentenced in Whanganui District Court, still pretending to be his brother, with the knowledge that the victim was to be prosecuted for a crime of which he was innocent, according to the factual summary.
Taylor had not given the police any explanation for his actions.
When the brother found out, police requested that the conviction, fine and disqualification be vacated and the original charge dismissed, police prosecutor Sgt. Steve Hickey said.
He said the two men looked similar in the photos.
On Tuesday, Judge Gregory Hikaka convicted Taylor of the charges and ordered a pre-sentencing report, before returning it to reappear for sentencing on January 11.
