Judge David Holderness listened incredulously as Te Awanga accountant Gibson Richard Bishop attempted to explain why he was driving drunk and at 150km/h.
"It was a long straight road," Mr Bishop reasoned as the Judge started sentencing in the Hastings District Court yesterday.
Impeccably dressed in a two-piece suit and of an
age when he should know better - according to Judge Holderness - Bishop stood in the dock and pleaded guilty to driving with an excess blood alcohol level and dangerous driving.
It was a Sunday, a perfect day for a drive. Driving back to Haumoana, on June 25 at 4.20pm, 50-year-old Bishop decided to try out his newly purchased Nissan Fairlady. He made it to 153km/h before being clocked and pulled over by police.
Not only was he travelling at more that 50km/h over the speed limit, he also had 128mg of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood - well over the legal limit of 80mg.
His lawyer, Rebecca Guthrie, did her best.
"The weather conditions were good," she said.
"It was a straight section of road.
"It was a high-performance vehicle," she added.
And he hadn't been travelling at 153km/h for the entire trip.
But her client now realised he shouldn't have been travelling at that speed and was extremely remorseful.
Before the judge could start on sentencing, Bishop decided to add his own piece.
However, Ms Guthrie cut him off, telling the judge that what Bishop meant to say was "that his car had been in a stationary position and got to that speed in just 7.5seconds".
"And it was a long straight road," she reiterated.
The judge was not impressed.
"The acceleration must have been very high if you got to that speed," he said.
"The more you try to minimise your actions, the less impressive your admission is.
"It was very high, particularly for someone expected to have better judgement."
Judge Holderness handed down a fine - $600 for driving with an excessive blood alcohol level and $450 for dangerous driving, courts costs totalling $260, and analysts fees and medical costs of $157.
