Grossly drunk driver nabbed after seen doing burnout on CCTV

Recidivist drink-driver Andrew Lloyd Boyes, 43, appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Thursday and pleaded guilty to two driving charges. Photo / File

A grossly drunk driver has racked up his ninth conviction for driving impaired by alcohol or drugs after he was seen doing a burnout by a Tauranga City Council CCTV operator.

Andrew Lloyd Boyes, 43, who appeared in the Tauranga District Court on Thursday pleaded guilty to two driving charges.

That is, one charge each of operating a motor vehicle causing sustained loss of traction, and driving with an excess breath alcohol being a third or subsequent offence.

Boyes, who has eight prior convictions for alcohol or drug-impaired driving, was seen driving a Ford vehicle in Hamilton St, Tauranga, in the early hours of February 28.

He accelerated heavily, causing the vehicle to spin for about three seconds, and the rear end began to fishtail as Boyes travelled up Hamilton St, the court heard.

After turning into Willow St, Boyes drove on the wrong side of the road for about 50 metres, and his actions were seen by Tauranga City Council's CCTV camera operator.

Police were informed, and Boyes was found sitting in the vehicle parked on Devonport Rd.

Boyes refused to undergo a compulsory breath screening test, and also refused to accompany the attending police officer back to the police station.

He became "very aggressive" towards the officer who insisted Boyes accompanied him and was arrested for his behaviour.

A subsequent test confirmed Boyes had been driving with excess breath alcohol level of 967 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath - the adult legal limit is 250mcg.

In explanation, Boyes told police he had only had "a few beers".

His lawyer Jessica Rose successfully argued that her client should be bailed pending sentencing on May 8 to enable him to continue to address his rehabilitative needs.

Boyes was struggling with some "very difficult" personal circumstances which had triggered his excessive drinking that night, she said.

Judge Christopher Harding said it was only by a "thin margin" that he was granting Boyes bail, but warned him that a prison sentence was the likely outcome on May 8.