Kiri Allan pleads guilty, convicted and fined $300

Wednesday, 22 May 2024

Kiri Allan has pleaded guilty on the morning her trial before a judge was due to begin.

A hearing was expected but shortly before it started Judge Brooke Gibson confirmed there would be a guilty plea.

He fined her $300 on the careless driving charge, ordered her to pay reparation of $5296 and convicted and discharged her on the charge of refusing to accompany.

Allan was arrested on July 23, 2023. She also blew over the legal limit for breath alcohol and was given an infringement notice.

Witnesses say the former East Coast MP’s car struck a parked car on Evans Bay Parade in Roseneath.

Allan was involved in a car crash shortly after 9pm, and taken into custody at Wellington Central police station before being released about 1am on Monday.

She resigned as a minister in the early hours of Monday and then Prime Minister Chris Hipkins confirmed the charges against her.

Judge Gibson said that Allan had a previous conviction for drink driving some 20 years ago.

Allan’s lawyer Christopher Stevenson confirmed that there were now guilty pleas to both charges.

He said the only thing that was being pursued was the refusing to accompany charge.

“She was requesting a lawyer,” he said.

He said rather than her refusing to accompany she wanted the opportunity to talk to a lawyer first.

Judge Gibson asked him about police offering to let her speak to one in the privacy of a police car but Allan had declined.

Stevenson agreed that had happened.

The judge said Allan was well known: “The minister of justice no less.”

He said about 9am on July 23, she was driving, the road was wet and the vehicle veered to left side of the road and hit another car causing extensive damage.

Allan had offered to pay the reparation which included the cost of a hire car.

The judge said she had had a breath screening test which was positive.

The summary of facts said Allan had tried to move the car before walking away from scene toward Oriental Parade.

She was located on Oriental Parade and breath tested.

She was then required to accompany the officer for the purpose of an evidential blood or breath test but refused saying she wanted to speak to a lawyer.

She was warned several times and provided ample opportunity to accompany and was told a lawyer would be made available at a practical time either in the police car or at the station.

She continued to refuse and was arrested.

Stevenson asked the judge to consider discharging Allan without conviction. He described her as having been in a fragile emotional state.

The judge said Allan had already suffered the consequences well before the court case came to be heard.

“She has largely suffered the impact and a conviction will not add to it,” Judge Gibson said.