FILE PHOTO: Rugby Union - International Test - Wales v New Zealand - Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales, Britain - October 30, 2021 New Zealand's Sevu Reece celebrates scoring a try Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers/File Photo
(Reuters) - New Zealand winger Sevu Reece has been fined NZ$2,000 ($1,170) by a Christchurch court after he smashed a car into a garage at a suburban address while intoxicated last year.
Canterbury Crusaders player Reece was charged with taking a car "dishonestly and without claim" but not in circumstances amounting to theft, and intentionally damaging the car owner's garage door after the incident on Nov. 15, 2023.
Police later reduced the charge to a single count of wilful damage, which Reece admitted.
The 27-year-old was granted a discharge of his conviction at Christchurch District Court when appearing for sentencing on Tuesday while ordered to pay the fine for reparation and emotional harm, New Zealand media reported.
The incident occurred after Reece was asked to leave a suburban address by its occupants for being disrespectful to other house guests, police said in their summary of facts.
He got into a car parked in the driveway and crashed it into the victim's garage, causing substantial damage to the garage and the vehicle, police added.
He then exited the vehicle and left the address on foot.
Reece apologised to the victim's family outside the court on Tuesday.
"Standing here today I just want to say that I'm really, really sorry for my behaviour that's led to us being here in court today," he told reporters, adding that he had quit drinking for over a year.
New Zealand Rugby spokesperson said the governing body was running an "employment process" with Reece following the off-field incident and its results would be confidential.
"We are satisfied Sevu has taken full responsibility for his actions over the past year, shown accountability and made some positive changes to his lifestyle," the spokesperson said.
Reece has now avoided conviction on two police matters, having been granted a discharge in 2018 for assaulting his girlfriend.
($1 = 1.7050 New Zealand dollars)
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
