A 42-year-old Hawea Flat man admitted a charge of intimidation under the Summary Offences Act 1980 in the Queenstown District Court before Judge Dominic Flatley following a fixture yesterday.
Peter Lyndon James had initially been charged with dangerous driving at Camp Hill Rd, Wanaka, on August 27, following an incident with his former partner.
James, involved with Wanaka Search and Rescue (SAR), had denied the charge.
However, after reading the police summary yesterday Judge Flatley questioned whether James should be facing a driving charge.
"My concern is his display of aggression towards his former partner ... clearly he was upset, he was angry about something that had happened and attempted to locate his former partner.
"He chases her around, drives in front, slows her down to the point she connects with his vehicle.
"It describes somebody who has a propensity to act in an aggressive manner."
Judge Flatley said "question marks" were raised about James' suitability to be involved with the likes of SAR.
"Anybody that locates a vehicle, passes it, slows and does the same thing again [when overtaken], forcing the vehicle to connect with the back of the vehicle he is driving, that's intimidation or aggressive or however you want to describe it ... except he used a vehicle in the process.
"This is not so much an issue of driving ... this was a display of aggression on the part of Mr James."
Prosecuting Sergeant Ian Collin subsequently amended the charge and James admitted confronting Heather Kahl with intent to intimidate her.
James' conviction was recorded and he was remanded on bail to April 4.
However, Judge Flatley said if James attended at least six voluntary counselling sessions to focus on anger management issues the sentencing judge could consider a conviction and discharge or a suspended sentence.
"I am less than impressed by what you did.
"I don't know whether you were angry or frustrated by something in relation to contact [with his child] - that's not unusual, but behaving in this way was entirely inappropriate and potentially dangerous to all concerned."
