John Solomona had pleaded guilty to a charge of excess blood alcohol but has denied the charge of careless driving.

Solomona is accused of dangerously driving a truck in Nikao on December 5 last year.

He told the court that he wanted to plead guilty to the EBA charge but deny the dangerous driving charge.

Justice of the Peace Nadine Newnham said there was no pressure on the defendant and asked the court to help him apply for a legal aid lawyer.

Solomona said he did not wish to enter a plea for the second charge and was advised to apply for legal aid.

The matter has been adjourned to August 1.

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A woman who has been charged for assault on a child has been granted interim name suppression.

The Court heard that in February this year, she allegedly assaulted a child.

The case was transferred from the Pa Enua and has been adjourned to July 4.

She is on bail and is ordered not to leave the Cook Islands without the Court’s approval.

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A man has been disqualified from driving for 12 months and ordered to pay a fine of $368, blood test cost of $150 and $100 court costs.

Steve Tangimetua was sentenced for excess blood alcohol and careless driving at the Criminal Court in Avarua last week.

He appeared before Justice of the Peace Nadine Newnham.

The court heard that on May 30, 2024, he drove along the Tupapa main road on a motorcycle where he crashed on the inland side, was unconscious and transported to the hospital.

A blood analysis was taken returning a reading of 238 milligrams per 100 millilitres of blood. The blood alcohol limit is 50 milligrams per 100 ml of blood.