A drunk driver who crashed into a parked car and fled the scene later told police the car had been stolen and crashed by some other men after they assaulted and robbed him, a court heard yesterday.
Dylan Robert Cumming (25), of Gore, yesterday appeared before Judge Noel Walsh for sentence in the Gore District Court after admitting making a false statement to police, driving while under the influence of alcohol and careless driving in Gore on May 21, and another charge of making a false statement to police the following day.
On their way home, Cumming crashed into a parked car on Robertson St, Gore, writing it off.
He drove his car a further 100m north on Robertson St then got out and locked it before he and his friend walked home.
When he got home Cumming made a 111 call to police, saying he had been assaulted and robbed outside the rugby club and that his vehicle had been stolen and crashed, Judge Walsh said.
When police spoke to him later that night, Cumming appeared "visibly intoxicated".
In the statement taken that night, Cumming said he had been assaulted by two or three hoodie-wearing men in their 30s.
"You said your car keys had flown out of your pocket during the assault," Judge Walsh said.
He told police he had been assaulted just out of view of the rugby club.
Cumming made a second statement to police the following day, reiterating the information already given.
It was not until May 30 that Cumming came clean, saying he made up the story as he was scared he would lose his child he had contact with, Judge Walsh said.
A victim impact statement from the owner of the written-off vehicle states he felt if Cumming had not lied and just "fessed up" from the start, everyone would have been able to get on with their lives sooner.
Judge Walsh sentenced Cumming to nine months’ supervision, 80 hours’ community work, ordered him to pay $9000 reparation and disqualified him from driving for six months.
- By Karen Pasco, PIJF court reporter
