A man who drove drunk, crashed into a parked car and then fled the scene, told police he was assaulted and robbed by three men who then stole his car and crashed it, a court heard this week.
Judge Walsh said Cumming and a friend left the Pioneer Rugby Club on May 21 about 9pm.
It was 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 before he got out and locked it. He and his friend then walked home.
When he arrived 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 Maori men in their 30s who were wearing hoodies.
"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 at 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 the 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, $9000 reparation and disqualified him from driving for six months.
