A Northland man who admitted having "a beer" before driving was more than twice the legal alcohol limit and is serving 18 months in jail for his seventh drink driving conviction.
Michael PARAHA, 53, appeared in Kaikohe District Court for sentencing on a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol for a third or subsequent time after being stopped in Heke St, Kaikohe, at 1.15am on November 17.
Paraha smelt strongly of alcohol and a test showed he had a level of 904 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg and in explanation he told police: "I've had a beer."
Paraha was sentenced to 18 months' jail, and was disqualified from driving for the same period for his seventh drink driving conviction.
Northland has some of the highest rates of drink-driving in the country, particularly repeat offenders, and the Northern Advocate is publishing its "name and shame" list of all people convicted of drink driving offences in the region.
Also sentenced in Northland's courts recently were:
Teinakore TOKORANGI, 50, unemployed, 846mcg, six months' home detention, disqualified from driving indefinitely for fifth drink driving conviction.
Edward Gregory WILLIAMS, 18, 380mcg, disqualified from driving for three months.
Paul Anthony KENYON-DAVID, 36, unemployed, 975mcg, 70 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months.
Kuljinder SINGH, 21, McDonald's worker, 664mcg, nine months' supervision, disqualified from driving for six months.
Monty Moses MACKIE, 21, 930mcg, $800 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.
James Allan SCAMPTON, 21, 581mcg, $500 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.
Tala Dean STEVENSON, 18, 379mcg, 4400 fine, disqualified from driving for three months.
Clark LEAF, 25, 605mcg, $600 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.
Janelle TE RURE, 18, student, 779mcg, 40 hours' community work, six months' supervision, disqualified from driving for six months.
Legal limits: Aged 20 and above: 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Under 20: Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit of between 0.00 and 0.03 receive an infringement fee of $200 and 50 demerit points. Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit over that will continue to be subject to the same drink drive penalties as adults.