Mother of Tom Phillips’ Children Fined for Drink Driving

Catherine Christey, the mother of Tom Phillips’ children, has pleaded guilty to a drink driving charge after crashing her vehicle while significantly over the legal limit. The incident occurred on August 2, 2023, at approximately 22:20 local time, when Christey lost control of her Nissan car, resulting in it flipping onto its side.

During a hearing at the Te Kuiti District Court on Monday morning, Christey, aged 46, appeared via audio-visual link from the Te Kuiti Police Station. Following the accident, she recorded a blood alcohol reading of 174 milligrams per 100 millilitres, later adjusted to 165 mg, well above the legal limit of 50 mg.

Christey’s legal representative, Craig Tuck, noted that while Christey has previous convictions, this marks her first offence related to drink driving. Tuck described her as a dedicated mother and contractor, emphasizing the challenges she would face due to the loss of her driving privileges.

In a brief session, Community Magistrate Kaye Davies addressed media requests for photographs of Christey and ultimately declined those applications. After considering the circumstances, Davies imposed a fine of $400 on Christey, which was less than the maximum penalty due to the financial burden of installing an alcohol interlock device in another vehicle.

Christey received a 28-day disqualification from driving. Following this period, she will only be permitted to operate a vehicle equipped with an alcohol interlock for one year. Afterward, she will be subject to a zero alcohol licence for the subsequent three years.

Davies concluded the proceedings by allowing Christey to leave, stating, “That’s all. You are free to go.” Shortly after, she was seen departing the police station accompanied by Tuck and entered a vehicle driven by another person.

This case follows the recent tragic events surrounding Tom Phillips, who was shot dead by police on September 7, 2023, after evading capture for several years. The police found one of his children at the scene of the incident, while others were located safely later that day.