An act of “senseless vandalism” on Christmas Day, 2024, has left a Nelson teen with a $6,469 repair bill.
Rylee Russell Rayner might have escaped a conviction for doing burnouts in his ute on to the Dovedale Domain, then trying to pull a children’s playground slide out of the ground.
But he didn’t escape an order to pay for the damage, and a stern scolding from Judge Barbara Morris. She asked 19-year-old Rayner to contemplate how he might feel one day in the future being the parent of a young child, and seeing someone damage a play area as he did.
“This was senseless vandalism and while you were waiting on bail, you pushed your luck by driving while suspended,” Judge Morris said during sentencing in the Nelson District Court on Wednesday.
Defence lawyer Amanda Godwin said Rayner was “very remorseful” for the offending which she submitted was “misguided youthful impulsivity”.
Rayner was granted a discharge without conviction on charges he had earlier admitted of intentional damage, and months later, for driving while suspended.
On Christmas Day, 2024, Rayner drove his ute to the Dovedale Domain. He and some mates then attached a tow strap to a car bonnet they planned to ride on while being towed behind the ute.
According to the summary of facts, Rayner drove around the field doing burnouts and damaging the field. He then attached the tow strap to a playground slide and tried to tug it out of the ground, but succeeded in bending it, while doing further damage to the ground with the vehicle’s loss of traction.
In April last year, Rayner’s licence was suspended by the police for three months because of excess demerit points.
At about 11.20pm on May 16 last year he was stopped by the police while driving in Ashburton with no registration plate on the front of the vehicle. He was then found to be a suspended driver.
He told police he’d never been served a suspension notice, so he was served another while police carried out inquiries.
The New Zealand Transport Agency confirmed Rayner had been served notice the first time.
Judge Morris said, in granting him a discharge without conviction largely because a conviction would outweigh the gravity of the offending by stalling future prospects, that he was a “hard working farm lad” who was prone to poor decision-making.
She said he was lucky to have had such a compassionate sergeant in court the day he was sentenced, who did not oppose the application for a discharge.
“This opportunity only comes but once,” Judge Morris warned.
Rayner was ordered to pay $6469 in reparation and was disqualified from driving for six months.
