Another Guildford in booze trouble

Zac Guildford's rugby-playing cousin has admitted driving with a breath-alcohol reading almost twice the legal limit.

Levi Guildford, 19, appeared in Napier District Court yesterday afternoon where he pleaded guilty to a charge of driving with excess breath-alcohol and driving while suspended.

The drink-driving incident occurred earlier this month and he was then caught driving while suspended three days later. He was convicted and discharged on the latter charge.

Levi is the cousin of Crusader and former All Black Zac Guildford, who was recently reinstated to the Crusaders Super Rugby squad after he allegedly assaulted a party-goer in Christchurch in January.

It triggered a stand-down from his rugby duties, a stint in a North Island rehabilitation clinic and the admission he was an alcoholic.

Levi Guildford was yesterday convicted of driving with excess breath-alcohol, fined $600 and ordered to pay court costs. He was also disqualified from driving for six months.

Defence counsel Mike McAleer said Levi had made a bad decision "as 19-year-old boys can do from time to time" and was able to pay a fine.

Levi Guildford has played as a No 8 for several age-group representative teams. In 2011, as a Napier Boys' High School Year 13 student, he was named in the New Zealand Secondary Schools side.

Hawke's Bay Rugby Union chief executive Mike Bishop did not return calls yesterday.