A man has blamed the layout of the new Avatiu roundabout for a careless driving incident.

Oirua Tini appeared before Justice of the Peace Tangi Taoro in the Criminal Court in Avarua on Thursday.

He pleaded guilty to one charge of careless driving. The incident, which occurred in May, involved him coming into contact with a motorcycle while driving around the Avatiu roundabout.

Defence counsel Norman George told the court that the roundabout was “peculiar” in its construction.

“There were two separate vehicles trying to make their way around the roundabout, the motorcycle came onto it rather fast,” George told the Court.

George said that Tini, a public health officer, was a man of good standing and this was his first offence.

George also noted that the charges were initially going to be more serious, but they were downgraded at the behest of Crown Law.

“We were originally prepared to take this to a Jury hearing,” George told the Court.

“But he’s happy to pay the fine.”

JP Taoro said it was unfortunate this incident happened, and that Tini “needs to be more careful”.

She convicted and fined Tini $120 in reparations and $20 in court costs, both of which were reduced by 33 per cent due to his early guilty plea.