United Future
Marc Alexander

Alexander: Wrong message sent to teen driver

"If the judge won’t say it, then I will: What we have here is an arrogant little snot thumbing his nose at society," Mr Alexander said after Nigel Caleb Wikiriwhi Dixon, 17, appeared in the Rotorua District Court on Wednesday.

"Like most people, I am sickened when I see this little yob, barely out of school shorts, telling the world that he has money, but won’t pay fines because he hates the police.

"I am then aghast that a judge should indulge this rubbish and make a mockery of his own courtroom and our justice system.

"He said he wouldn’t give a harsher sentence because he would be ‘setting him [Dixon] up to fail’.

"No. What he has done is set Dixon up with the idea that he can basically breach the law as much as he likes and be slapped with a wet bus ticket."

Mr Alexander also questioned the finding that Dixon had no means of paying fines, and therefore could not be jailed.

"It would not be unreasonable to assume that if someone can get a car on to the road and keep it there, they have access to money. And frankly, the car itself should be confiscated."