Drink driver gets 8 month ban

Driving to the family farm in Orewa while more than twice the legal alcohol limit has cost a man his licence after he was stopped by police near Kaikohe.

Anthony George HAURAKI, 56, security officer, appeared for sentencing in the Auckland District Court on a charge of driving with an excess breath-alcohol level after he was stopped by police on State Highway 12 at 4.45pm on February 5.

The police summary of facts to the court said when officers spoke to Hauraki at the side of the road he smelt strongly of alcohol and admitted drinking before driving. A test showed he had a level of 1086 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath. The legal limit is 400mcg.

In explanation he told police he was on the way to the family farm at Orewa when he was stopped. Hauraki was fined $1000 and disqualified from driving for eight months.

Northland has some of the highest rates of drink-driving in the country, particularly repeat offenders, and the Northern Advocate is publishing its "name and shame" list of all people convicted of drink-driving offences in the region. Also sentenced in Northland's courts recently were:

Peihopa Matekoraha BROWN, 35, 755mcg, 150 hours' community work, 12 months' supervision, disqualified from driving for 15 months for third drink-driving conviction.

Wiremu Arthur HARDING, 24, 487mcg, two months' imprisonment, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Stephen Naku WYCLIFFE, 44, 698mcg, 120 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for eight months.

Chase Anaru RAPANA, 22, stacker, 587mcg, 50 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months.

Christophe Gerard LETRON, 29, 885mcg, $850 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Rhys James NORMAN, 20, 346mcg, $350 fine, disqualified from driving for three months.

Limits: Aged 20 and above: 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Under 20: Young drivers with a blood-alcohol limit of between 0.00 and 0.03 will receive an infringement fee of $200 and 50 demerit points. Young drivers with a blood-alcohol limit over that will continue to be subject to the same penalties as adults.