Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Truckie taken off road after fourth drink-drive conviction

Imran Ali
Northern Advocate·
10 Jan, 2014 05:00 PM2 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
NO JAIL: Graeme Emery, logging truck driver, appears for sentencing on a drink-driving charge. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

NO JAIL: Graeme Emery, logging truck driver, appears for sentencing on a drink-driving charge. PHOTO/JOHN STONE

A Northland logging truck driver caught behind the wheel with nearly double the legal alcohol limit has been spared jail.

Graeme Steven Emery, 52, of Raumanga, this week was sentenced by the Whangarei District Court to four months' home detention on a charge of drink-driving.

Emery pleaded guilty in November last year.

It was his fourth conviction for drink-driving and in each of his first three convictions he recorded breath readings of more than 1000mcg.

The legal limit for drivers over 20 years of age is 400mcg.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

His first conviction for drink-driving was in 1996 when he blew 1058mcg. In 2004 he recorded 1260mcg, then in 2009 he had 1122mcg of alcohol in his blood. In the latest test, his reading was 700mcg.

The police summary of facts said Emery was heading north on State Highway 1 at Mata about 5.15pm on September 21, when he was stopped by police for speeding.

The truck he was driving was piggy-backing its trailer.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

He exhibited signs of recent alcohol intake and admitted to having had a couple of drinks at a friend's place after finishing his run for the day.

It is routine for police to breath-test all drivers stopped and Emery failed the roadside test.

He was taken to the Whangarei police station, where he was tested again and blew 700mcg.

Because of the level, his driver's licence was immediately suspended for 28 days. A friend had to collect the truck.

Discover more

Cutting home detention bracelet leads to prison term

30 Jan 07:01 PM

Emery's lawyer, Aaron Dooney, said there had been no driving fault except for speeding and that a pre-sentence report recommending home detention was a perfectly appropriate sentence.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Barrie Iggo said that to reach a reading of 700mcg it would take more than the couple of drinks Emery claimed.

Judge Greg Davis said the aggravating features of Emery's offending were his high breath alcohol reading and the fact he was a professional driver.

The judge ordered Emery not to buy or consume alcohol and non-prescription drugs for the duration of his home detention.

Emery was disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for one year and one day.

Save
    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

$152m windfall for Northland dairy farmers likely spent on debt

29 Oct 05:00 AM
Northern Advocate

Community spirit sparkles: Fireworks to fund Northland cancer lodge project

29 Oct 12:37 AM
Northern Advocate

'Final nail in the coffin': Kerikeri Street Party cancelled amid road closures

29 Oct 12:00 AM

Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

$152m windfall for Northland dairy farmers likely spent on debt
Northern Advocate

$152m windfall for Northland dairy farmers likely spent on debt

Most farmers plan to use the payout to cut debt amid global uncertainty.

29 Oct 05:00 AM
Community spirit sparkles: Fireworks to fund Northland cancer lodge project
Northern Advocate

Community spirit sparkles: Fireworks to fund Northland cancer lodge project

29 Oct 12:37 AM
'Final nail in the coffin': Kerikeri Street Party cancelled amid road closures
Northern Advocate

'Final nail in the coffin': Kerikeri Street Party cancelled amid road closures

29 Oct 12:00 AM


Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable
Sponsored

Poor sight leaving kids vulnerable

22 Sep 01:23 AM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP