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New Defence Against Crime: "I'm Unemployed"


New Defence Against Crime: "I'm Unemployed"

ACT New Zealand Associate Justice Spokesman Deborah Coddington today expressed outrage that a recidivist offender has had $19,000 in fines wiped by a district court judge.

"The Government says that traffic fines are imposed to keep the public safe. What is the point of fines if judges can wipe them because a man is unemployed and "unable" to pay? A sentence of community work is no punishment whatsoever.

"Given that the Hastings recidivist offender is unemployed, he should be doing community work anyway.

"Jail time would have sent a message that New Zealand has zero tolerance for crime, and that ignoring fines and re-offending will not get unemployed criminals off scot-free," Miss Coddington said.

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