A teenage drink driver has walked away from a conviction in New Zealand after impressing the judge by writing a song to apologise for his actions.
Alexander Grant, 18, appeared at Dunedin District Court on one count of drink driving after being pressured by friends to go out and get food during a night of drinking – according to the country’s public broadcaster RNZ.
Driving his grandmother’s car he was reportedly pulled over by officers and taken to Dunedin Central Police Station after being found to be four times over the legal limit.
However on Wednesday the student, who had completed the Right Track programme which aims educate young dangerous drivers, was discharged from the court without conviction after performing a song of contrition.
Recorded under the first-year university student’s musical moniker XuzzDoc, the song - called Choices - was played for the court after sentencing was delayed to allow for its composition at the request of the judge, who hoped it would exemplify the lessons learned by the 18-year-old.
Judge Micheal Turner said he found the tune “very, very impressive”.
"You have exceeded my expectations”, he said, while reprimanding the teenager for making “a very foolish” decision.
However, with both the defence and the police prosecutor agreeing it was appropriate to discharge Mr Grant, the judge said it would be “wrong in my view to mark your record".
He added it was the first time he could recall that he had discharged such a case.
"I have no doubt this was a one-off error in judgement where to some extent you were pressured to get behind the wheel and drive by your friends," Judge Turner. “You have learnt your lesson.”
Mr Grant said the song would be made available to the Right Track programme for future use.
