Drink-driver nabbed for seventh time

A disqualified driver with six previous convictions for alcohol-related driving offences has again been caught behind the wheel after drinking, this time while more than twice the legal limit.

Rangi COOK, 46, of Tinopai, was sentenced to nine months in jail on charges of excess breath alcohol and driving while disqualified.

About 12.15am on July 2, he was driving along State Highway 12 in Papamoa when stopped for a mobile breath test.

He returned a reading of 806mcg of alcohol per litre of breath.

The legal limit is 400mcg.

Cook declined to comment when asked why he was driving.

Northland has the highest rate of recidivist drink-drivers in the country 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:

Destinie Kaitu PARAHA-HOKAI, 18, 262mcg of alcohol per litre of breath, $150 fine and disqualified from driving for three months.

Mahi Ki Suva TONGA, 52, 553mcg, $600 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

John Kingston Neville TAIPARI, 19, 875mcg, three months' supervision and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Ron Tyson TUTAIA, 30, 106 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 12 months' supervision and disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Gideon Bilagot MARTINEZ, 18, 203mcg, $175 fine, disqualified from driving for three months.

Kapirere Ngatorte HIMIONA, 24, 483mcg, $400 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Caroline MAY, 32, 810mcg, 90 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for six months.

Paul Roderick HALL, 33, 668mcg, 300 hours' community work, supervision for one year, disqualified from driving for one year and one day.

Jason William YOUNG, 17, 241mcg, $250 fine, disqualified from driving for three months.

Vanessa Marie WARDS, 23, 735mcg, $600 fine, disqualified from driving for six months.

Jarrod Leigh WILLIAMS, 22, 137 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, $650 fine, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Jacob MANIHERA, 24, 124 milligrams of alcohol per 100 millilitres of blood, 120 hours' community work, disqualified from driving for 10 months.

Luke James RODGERS, 23, 803mcg, $700 fine, disqualified from driving for seven months.

Legal limits: Aged 20 and above: 400mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 80mg of alcohol per 100ml of blood. Under 20: Until August 7, it was 150mcg of alcohol per litre of breath; 30mg of alcohol per 100ml. From August 7, it's zero tolerance. Young drivers with a blood alcohol limit of between 0.00 and 0.03 (the legal limit for under 20-year-olds until August 7, 2011) 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 drink drive penalties as adults.