Drink-driver who fought cops jailed

A drink-driver who attacked three police officers will go to jail.

Three police officers who were "clawed" and assaulted during a routine checkpoint stop will see the offender spend more than a year behind bars.

Edward Desmond Waihape appeared in Napier District Court yesterday and was sentenced to 18 months in jail by Judge Geoff Rea, after pleading guilty to three counts of assaulting police, resisting arrest and driving while intoxicated.

On August 7, this year, Waihape was stopped by police on Scully Cres in Napier for a routine vehicle and driver check. Waihape failed his first breath alcohol test and was required to accompany police and undergo further assessment.

"Once in the police car you became unco-operative and aggressive, pushing [police officers] out of the way," Judge Rea said.

"You resisted and assaulted a third police officer, clawing him with your finger nails. You made quite a mess of him."

Waihape's breath alcohol level was one and a half times more than the legal limit, but he told police he was "just driving [my] son and granddaughter home".

Judge Rea said Waihape had a "dreadful record", including 12 convictions for driving with excess breath alcohol and a "significant past history" of resisting and assaulting police officers.

The Judge said despite Waihape's "comprehensive" criminal activities he would be granted a six-month reduction in his sentence for an early guilty plea.

Waihape was sentenced to 18 months in prison, disqualified from driving for one year and one day and ordered to pay $490 in reparation costs after one of the officers cellphones was damaged.

"There is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't pay that, you caused it," Judge Rea said.