The Department of Corrections was given a telling off in the Invercargill District Court yesterday after a probation officer failed to follow a judge’s instructions.
The probation officer in court agreed and Judge Phillips said he just wanted the probation officer to look into an intensive supervision sentence with direction that an in-depth ACC report be referred to as well.
However, in a Provision of Advice to Courts report provided for sentencing, the probation officer instead recommended supervision and made no mention of the ACC report — against the judge’s indication.
"That is quite surprising and disappointing," Judge Phillips said.
It did not appear the probation officer who had written the report had read the ACC assessment, he said.
Judge Phillips said he was highly critical his instructions had not been followed.
"You can take back to the probation officer I am not at all happy."
