Magistrate’s Court Charge Of Dangerous Driving... (Press, 27 April 1970)

On 27 April 1970, the Magistrate’s Court in Christchurch dismissed a charge of dangerous driving against lan William McGregor, stemming from a fatal accident that occurred on Blenheim Road on 3 November 1969. The incident resulted in the deaths of two individuals. McGregor, a 30-year-old motor mechanic, pleaded not guilty to allegedly driving at a speed that could endanger others. Witness Grant Douglas Archer, 19, stated that he was driving towards the city when he noticed McGregor's black Jaguar accelerating alongside a hot-rod. After looking away, Archer saw a cloud of smoke, indicating a collision had occurred. Constable G. F. Kerr recounted that upon interviewing McGregor at the accident scene, he claimed his speed was 55 to 60 miles per hour despite his speedometer being inoperative. McGregor stated he had to evade a truck that turned directly into his path, resulting in a collision with the truck and a subsequent crash into a lamp post. Constable T. W. Roswell noted that the truck driver later died, while the hot-rod driver sustained serious injuries. The evidence regarding the speeds of the vehicles involved was deemed inconclusive. Consequently, the magistrate concluded that the prosecution had not sufficiently established McGregor's guilt, prompting the dismissal of the charge. In separate cases heard on the same day, John Stuart Weir Pegg, 53, received a two-year prison sentence for multiple charges of indecent assault against boys and men, marking his fifth appearance in court on sexual offences over 24 years. George Norman Reeves, 21, was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment for unlawfully taking a Mercedes Benz truck valued at $15,900, highlighting a long history of defiance against the law, with 61 prior convictions. Alfred Rickard Mayne, 32, was fined $50 for assault at the Cave Rock Hotel after he poured beer over a known complainant. Similarly, Kevin Maurice Busch, 20, was fined $25 for behaving disorderly in the Lancaster Park Hotel. Allan Adam Ormsby, 22, was fined $40 after being found asleep in a vacant house, admitting wrongdoing. Gary McDonald, 23, was fined $20 for using obscene language in Cathedral Square. In a case concerning George Malcolm, 30, he was fined $30 for assaulting his wife during an argument after a party, with their long-standing separation mentioned. Basil Duncan Gowan, 46, was remanded in custody on fraud charges. Lastly, a 17-year-old youth was discharged without conviction for a charge of using obscene language, with the magistrate deeming the penalty disproportionate to the offence. Miscellaneous fines were also imposed for various infractions, including careless use of a vehicle and failing to notify the Army of a change of address, with convictions resulting in fines ranging from $6 to $25. Traffic cases involved fines for careless driving and exceeding speed limits.

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