A Cromwell man facing his 32nd conviction of driving while disqualified has been given a chance to stay out of the justice system - but he needs to get his eyesight sorted first.
Richard Kurie (50), builder, was convicted by Judge Michael Turner in the Alexandra District Court on Wednesday of driving while disqualified in Cromwell on February 20.
Judge Turner said Kurie had 112 convictions over 32 years, including 91 driving offences.
But he was not disqualified from driving at present, so Judge Turner said he would give Kurie a chance to "get out of the [justice] system" by not further disqualifying him, and letting him get his driver's licence back.
However, Kurie said he had failed his driver's licence the last time he sat it because he had bad eyesight. He failed the eyesight part of the test and was not able to read the theory questions properly.
"Right, well, that's the first thing you need to get sorted," Judge Turner said.
"You need to get glasses."
Judge Turner said Kurie could face a starting point of two years' imprisonment, but he was prepared to give him a "fresh start".
He remanded Kurie until October 23 for sentencing, and if Kurie had gained his driver's licence by then, he would sentence him "in a way which keeps him in the community and does not further disqualify him".
