Indian-origin man jailed in New Zealand for abandoning baby

A 31-year-old Indian-origin man was today jailed for a year in New Zealand for abandoning an 11-month-old child next to a highway after stealing a car.
Charanjit Singh, a Greymouth man of no fixed abode, appeared for sentence today in the Invercargill District Court after admitting six charges including abandoning the child, driving while forbidden, driving recklessly, unlawfully taking a Mazda CX9 valued at 58,000 dollars on November 11.
He also pleaded guilty to an earlier offence of driving while forbidden at Greymouth, New Zealand Herald reported.
He was sentenced to 12 months' jail and disqualified from driving for 12 months. He was not ordered to pay any reparation because he did not have the means.

Judge Phil Moran told Singh his offending had a severe impact on the child's family and they were still struggling to get over what they thought was the loss of their young child.
Judge Moran said on November 11 Singh was dropped off in Balfour where he left his backpack and walked into town.

He spotted a vehicle with keys in it and decided to take it but after driving off he discovered there was a child in the backseat, he said.
Singh stopped and tried to get the carseat out with the baby in it but could not do so he took the baby out and left him on the side of the highway, Moran said.

The child was quickly found and returned to his mother but Singh had driven off at speed and when pursued by police he failed to stop, Judge Moran said.
He lost control of the vehicle and rolled it down a bank before running off but he was apprehended by police.
Singh's lawyer John Fraser said his client had pleaded guilty immediately and apologised to the mother from court at his last appearance.