A young woman sentenced to serve time at Arorangi Prison has been advised by a Justice of the Peace to seriously think about making better choices in the future.

Maiarii Kauvai Short was sentenced to three months imprisonment by Justice of the Peace Vania Kenning at the Criminal Court in Avarua yesterday for breaching her curfew orders in June.

The Court heard Short, who had admitted to the charges, had already been in custody for 14 days after breaching her probationary licence four times last month.

A probation officer told JP Kenning that the accused had previously served prison time for breaching her orders. She was sentenced to prison by JP John Whitta in April this year.

JP Kenning ordered that Short serve another three months. She told the accused that she repeatedly breached probation orders that were put in place for her benefit.

“Hope you take this time to make some serious thoughts … make better choices,” JP Kenning advised.

In April this year, JP Whitta had sentenced the young woman to four weeks imprisonment after breaching her probation orders.

JP Whitta then said the accused had demonstrated a pattern in her offending over a period of time, and that she had an extensive history of disobeying court orders.

In another custody matter, a man who has been given interim name suppression has been ordered to attend sessions at Te Kainga O Pa Taunga due to his mental health condition.

The accused is facing two charges – driving under the influence of alcohol (EBA) with a blood alcohol level of 180 milligrams, almost four times the legal limit, and careless driving on the Titikaveka main road. The incident occurred on June 2 this year.

He admitted to both charges without any legal representative, although the court advised him to get a lawyer.

The defendant is on bail with the conditions not to purchase or consume alcohol, not to enter liquor licence premises except restaurants and to visit Te Kainga every Friday.

Police prosecutor senior sergeant Fairoa Tararo said the accused had a history of the similar offence and requested that a probation report be ordered before the sentencing on October 15.