Gob-smacked...

[igor]

Wether you're a dick or not isn't really something that interests me.

I was just commenting on how unjust it is that the guy didn't get charged.

I did read you post & the article btw - did I miss something??? It is possible b/c I'm a Uni student too.

he did get charged. am i misisng something

Student Bo Cong pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of James and injuring Joe, who recently turned 21 and still suffers from a leg injury suffered in the March 25 crash.

[2_SL0]

This is not the Police fault, its the system not working correctly. It happins alot. Its a depressing fact.

[spudchucka]

that is madness.

Why not a manslaughter charge?? Manslaughter has certainly been used on other stupid drivers causing death, why not this guy?? Any cops here know what it takes before you could successfully try that?

There would have to be other aggravating factors, driver was pissed and its the 9th time he's been done for drink drivin, toxicology shows he was under the influence of drugs, driving a stolen vehicle, multiple previous convictions for careless, dangerous, reckless, EBA etc etc etc.

[Milky]

Had a similar response to the guy who killed a great mate's mother. Dunno if you lot remember Anne Lester - killed after an asian student ran a red light in Mt Roskill at 430am.
some bits from the herald in relation to it:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...toryID=3565258
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnews...section=latest

Having talked with the family lawyer since then, things are going through an appeal process, asking for more leniency WRT apologies, donations, remorse etc. He thinks that it is mostly a ploy to stall things here so that the driver isn't deported, but can be collected by his folks and taken back home. Deportation is a spot on his record which will impact heavily on where he can travel in future, and I am sure they want to avoid that at all costs
In talking to the lawyer, I heard that the guy didnt even come over to help after the crash - sat on the side of the road and played with his mobile phone...

interesting link I found http://www.nzherald.co.nz/storydispl...reportID=57539

[Ms Piggy]

he did get charged. am i misisng something

Student Bo Cong pleaded guilty to careless driving causing the death of James and injuring Joe, who recently turned 21 and still suffers from a leg injury suffered in the March 25 crash.

Ahhhh ok, thanks for that...however:

"Judge Simon Lockhart, QC, found Cong not guilty of driving while forbidden to drive. He said there was a possibility Cong did not know what "forbidden" meant because of his limited English.

Yesterday Cong was sentenced to 250 hours' community work and disqualified from driving for two years."

This is unjust, unfair etc, etc, etc. 250 hours community service for killing someone!

Maybe you are missing something - I hope you find it.

Btw - not making any digs at the Police but the Justice system.

[aff-man]

See what we need to do if 100% sure of our facts is all meet at symond st on our bikes invite the media and block the road!! and get some attention drawn into it. Im in for a starter

Fuck it i am in to. Hell i have been around heaps of asians who don't speak english properly but it still is no excuse for a criminal action. shit could i go and kill someone and then plead not guilty because i was to stupid to understand the word "forbidden". If you live in this counrty you obide by all the rules and laws , even if you understand them or not you still have to deal with the consiquences.

So who is in i think it's media time. Hell even some of those harley gang boys might be interested in a protest of this sort, cause it could have been one of them!!

[Yokai]

The consequences of driving illegally and killing someone as a result should be more in line with what you'd get for manslaughter

I'm gonna snip the politics because I agree. We get all POed about how difficult things are in other countries but don't realise the crap that we allow here... BUT...

Just as a matter if interest, in California if such an occurrence occurred (oooohhh weird language) then you'd be done for Murder. It would be an a posteriori offense [sic] due to assault with a deadly weapon [the car] and you are deemed to know that the car is a deadly weapon. Not having a license [sic] would mean that you would be flouting the law there too - you'd get the proverbial book.

Yokai.

[Mr Skid]

See what we need to do if 100% sure of our facts is all meet at symond st on our bikes invite the media and block the road!! and get some attention drawn into it. Im in for a starter

I'd be scared of getting run over, but if it was organised well I'd be involved.

I'm guessing this guy is still studying at auckland uni. I was pondering what effect it would have if some posters were to appear around the university precincts with this worthless individuals picture, name, and description of his crime.

I'm of two minds, as today was the last day of term (exams still to go though) and the possible effect it might have on the victims family. What do people think about this?

[Hitcher]

I'm guessing this guy is still studying at auckland uni. I was pondering what effect it would have if some posters were to appear around the university precincts with this worthless individuals picture, name, and description of his crime.

Be careful what you post publicly. This dude, no matter how "worthless" you think he may be, has been found guilty and convicted by the Court. The adequacy or otherwise of his sentence has been determined by the Court. This is where your beef should lie (if that is truly your concern), rather than with the perpetrator.

[Ms Piggy]

Be careful what you post publicly. This dude, no matter how "worthless" you think he may be, has been found guilty and convicted by the Court. The adequacy or otherwise of his sentence has been determined by the Court. This is where your beef should lie (if that is truly your concern), rather than with the perpetrator.

Yeah I'm with Mr H. The other point is that even though his sentence was pretty lame (to make a bit of an understatement) it doesn't mean the young guy himself doesn't feel bad about it. Let's not get into witch huntin' people.

[Mr Skid]

Be careful what you post publicly. This dude, no matter how "worthless" you think he may be, has been found guilty and convicted by the Court. The adequacy or otherwise of his sentence has been determined by the Court. This is where your beef should lie (if that is truly your concern), rather than with the perpetrator.

Thanks for the advice. It was more an 'out loud' thought than anything else. I agree that it's the courts fault regarding how light his sentence was.

He did plead guilty to the careless driving causing death charge (though I think it'd be difficult for legal council to think up a defence in this instance) but I find his defence of the driving while forbidden charge laughable.

I am assuming that the judge's decision about the possibility of not understanding the word 'forbidden' was based upon arguments put forward by the defence council, rather than arrived at independently by the judge.

If he understood the ticket (which it is my belief that he did) then he should not have been driving. If he did not understand the ticket, then it is up to him to find out what it meant. Be that by asking the cop that was issuing it, or consulting a dictionary to find the translation.

To plead not guilty to this charge strikes me as a cop out.

Maybe I'm being overly emotive about the issue, but I had to walk past the scene on the way to a lecture, and seeing a bike lying upside down against the side of a car doesn't give you good feelings.

[MikeL]

Can the police appeal this? Surely, regardless of the individual circumstances, there is an important point of law involved here, as well as a precedent that will be seized upon...
What happened to the idea that ignorance of the law is no excuse? Do we make exceptions for foreigners? Would the same plea work for me in France, Spain, Japan or China?

[aff-man]

Can the police appeal this? Surely, regardless of the individual circumstances, there is an important point of law involved here, as well as a precedent that will be seized upon...
What happened to the idea that ignorance of the law is no excuse? Do we make exceptions for foreigners? Would the same plea work for me in France, Spain, Japan or China?

Hell no they would throw your sorry ass in jail. I wonder if we could cause a public outcry and then the police prosecutor would have to appeal so the police look like they are doing what is in the publics interest. I bet if he had hit an mp's or other officials car/bike and done seriouse damage he would be sitting in jail right about now

[Jackrat]

Hmmmmmm.I deal with people that don't speak good english every day.
They don't know what I mean when I ask "where's the tyres you told me over the phone would be on it" or "why isn't your ass biteing fucken dog tyed up like you said it would be" or "why did you tell me it's an 88 when it's really a 78".Oh yeah they don't speaka da english bro.
Funny thing is when they think their getting $100 for their shit heap and I say
in a VERY kiwi accent "I'll give ya' $25" because I'm in a good mood"
Hey they speak bloody good english then.
Bring back hanging I reckon

[toads]

...thunderstruck, astounded, incredulous, discombobulated...
Words fail me.

An overseas student driving without a licence who did a U-turn in Symonds St and killed a motorcyclist has been found not guilty of driving while disqualified because he did not know the meaning of "prohibited".

C'mon all you young'uns, the product of our modern education system, put your ignorance to use! Forget about your demerit points, tear up your tickets, laugh at the law...

well nothing surprises me, but I feel very very pissed off that yet again another person who deserves to be appropriately dealt with is getting away with murder ( well almost murder)